The Broken Vampire
by VAlover10
Summary: Sequel to 'The Wrong Alchemist'. Rose has just started to get the hang of being a Dhampir, but the new bond with her best friend could change all of that. As she trains to become the guardian she wants to be she will also have to suffer the consequences that come with being linked to your best friend. Rose has changed. Based on Richelle Mead's series Vampire Academy. R&R. Xoxo
1. Chapter 1

**_HI everyone. i decide i didnt like what i was doing with my story so i want to restart and go on with my version. i hope you like this better because this has made me feel better knowing it is more my story then the original . please review and tell me how it is because i want to know what you all think of it. please be honest even if its harsh and if you have any ideas please tell me because even though i have a plan for this story it would be great for people to contribute stwists and turns along the way. i hope you like this version more. thanks for all your support. xx_**

I have been at this place for only a few months and yet graduation is right around the corner. I guess that would happen if you only just started school at the start of our senior year. To be fair it wasn't my fault. I didn't even know I was a dhampir a couple of months ago. All my life I had grown up believing I was an alchemist. A group of humans who run around and keep the vampire world hidden from the humans. I had trained for seventeen years and was finally ready for my first official mission. I was sent out into the field to clean up a mess left behind by the strigoi, undead killing machines. It was there that I met my mentor and secret crush, Dimitri Belikov. Although I guess it's not much of a secret anymore between us, and my feeling for him have grown from so much more then a simple schoolgirl crush. After I found out what I really was he told the head mistress to enrol me with the senior students. Thanks to the alchemist training I was almost at the level of the seniors and just needed the extra help. Dimitri volunteered to be my mentor and taught me so much that I had caught up to everyone else and now was on my way to being the best.

The more I saw him they more I grew to like him and at the school equinox dance when Lissa was kidnapped I ran to Dimitri and thanks to a lust charm given to me by Victor Dashkov we got into a rather awkward situation. Meaning we almost had sex. Thankfully he pulled off the lust charm in time and we managed to save Lissa and lock up victor for good. To this day my feeling for him haven't gone away. If anything they have grown more. I went to see victor and found out that the charm would only work if he felt the same way for me as I did for him. Then Natalie, Victor's daughter, came out form the shadows and started attacking me. She had turned herself strigoi to free her father. In the end Dimitri had staked her through the heart and saved me. As he carried me to the infirmary he told me the truth. That he loved me but we couldn't be together because we were both going to be Lissa's guardians and we had to protect her not each other.

Now a month has passed and everything is back to normal. It was almost as if it never happened, but not for me. For me the events have ran through my head on a loop.

I sat on a bench staring out as the snow coated field in front of me waiting for Dimitri. Today I had my qualifier. A test where a novice is asked questions to see how dedicate they are and to see if they are ready to be a guardian. If they fail they could be kicked out of the school for good. As usual I was half an hour early, which left me to stare at the sunrise alone. For a vampire this was the middle of the night but my nerves kept me wide-awake.

"You're here." Said a voice from behind. I didn't have to turn around to know whom. "I have been looking for you," he said as he came and sat down next to me.

"There is still ten minutes before you said we would be leaving. I thought I would just sit down and try to get in the zone." I said still not looking at him because I know if I did all my focus would break.

"Nervous?" he asked but there was a knowing hint in his voice almost like he knew and didn't need to ask.

"Almost to the nail biting level. God I can't stop fidgeting," I said looking down at my tapping foot.

"You'll be fine," he said putting his hand on my tapping knee. I turned to look at him surprised at his movement. We were alone but still we haven't made any sort of contact other than in the gym since the lust charm. He moved his hand quickly and turned to look away from me. I looked down and used my hair to cover my blush. The heat from his touch was still radiation from where he touched my knee almost like he had burnt me. After a moment of silence I asked the question that had been racing through my mind since I found out about the qualifier.

"What will happen if I fail?" he turned to look at my but I continued to look down at my now fiddling fingers.

"You wont fail," he said almost certain.

"I know that's what you think but what if I do? I mean I can't get kicked out. I need to graduate and become Lissa's guardian. I can't not be her guardian," I said looking up to meet his eyes.

"What you said just then shows me that you can't fail. Anyone can see your dedicated and that you will do anything for the princess. You can't fail," he said and gave me a small smile.

"You say that Dimitri but I need to know what will happen if I fail. I don't have anywhere to go anymore," I said quietly. He looked at me for a moment.

"You don't need to worry about that. And if Art says anything about the best novice not being dedicated I will talk some sense into him myself," he joked and I smiled before I thought about what he said. Art? Who was Art?

"Art?" I asked.

"Arthur Schoenberg," he said like it was obvious. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened.

"We are going to see Arthur Schoenberg?" I asked. My voice surprised me. It was shaking so much that I almost sounded more nervous of his name then the qualifier.

"Yes. Is that a problem?" he asked. I shook my head from sided to side. Arthur Schoenberg was a legend in the vampire world. Even the alchemist knew of him and while we- they feared all vampires, Arthur had done so much that even they couldn't hate him. He had killed the most strigoi at such a young age and had done such a good deed for the human race by saving them countless times. Arthur was a guardian but didn't have a charge so he went wherever he wanted and saved whoever was in need before finally settling for a Moroi and going into retirement just guardian his charge.

"Wasn't there anyone else?" I asked. If anything this information made me more nervous. Dimitri smiled.

"You'll be fine. Like I said, I'll make sure Art goes easy on you," he said. Art. Dimitri was on nickname basis with a legend. Dimitri himself was growing into a well-known name and was a badass god but still the thought that he was friends with someone like Arthur Schoenberg made him an even more of a badass god.

"Lets get going then, " he said standing up and brushing the snow off his leather duster. I pulled my self to my shaking feet and wrapped my scarf around my neck. I hadn't exactly been prepared for this test so I was just wearing a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and a tight white knit sweater. When Dimitri had found me he told me I wouldn't need to change into anything but he advised I wore comfy clothes it was a long drive. I grabbed my scarf and ran out here to sit and think through what the test would be about.

We walked to the car in silence and started our journey with five minutes head start.

Two hours into the journey Dimitri noticed me picking at the skin around my nails. An old habit of mine that I had grown out of a few years and only came back when I was nervous. I still had the scars from the years when I had to take the alchemy tests. It got to the point where they would be red raw and bleed from the cracks.

"Stop that," he said turning back the road.

"What?" I asked.

"You're making me feel nervous just watching you. And stop picking at your nails," he said. I sucked in a deep breath and sighed.

"You're right," I said and moved to sit on my hands. Then I went back to staring out the window and my foot started tapping.

"Okay that's it," said Dimitri pulling into a diner car park.

"What?" I asked again.

"We have to find a way for you to calm down," he said. "You need to eat something."

"I'm fine," I argued.

"Rose. We are not going to have to go though this again are we?" he asked and I shook my head. A while ago Dimitri had noticed my lack of eating and was concerned for my heath. He took it upon himself to become my dietician as well as mentor. Everyday he would watch me eat and kept track of my weight. I had gained a couple of pounds and was fitting my clothes better but he still watched me. I got out of the car and joined him walking into the diner.

"I'm honestly fine. I had dinner a few hours ago," I argued as we walked through the red walk in doors.

"Your jittering like a drug addict who hasn't had their fix in hours, the only way you're going to calm down is to get some food into you." I rolled my eyes and sucked up my pride.

We sat down and a waitress in a short dress and stilettos came and handed us a couple of menus. I looked at it and decided on a fruit salad. Dimitri gave me a look.

"What?" I asked. "I told you I wasn't hungry." He rolled his eyes and I smiled knowing I had one. When the waitress came over ready to take our orders, I was ready to tell her what I wanted but didn't get the chance because Dimitri had cut me off.

"Hi. We will both have a chocolate glazed donut," he said before handing her the menu. I glared at him. When the waitress walked away Dimitri turned back to me.

"I think what you need right now is sugar. Trust me this will make you feel better. You do like donuts right?" he asked.

"Um I haven't exactly had one before," I said now feeling embarrassed.

"What that is crazy," he said and even though his voice sounded surprised his face was still the same statue like that gave nothing away. If it weren't for his eyes or his voice to give everything away I would think he was a robot.

The waitress came back carrying two plates with a chocolate glazed donut on each. I could smell the chocolate from across the room. God it had been years since I had last had chocolate. My mouth flooded with saliva and I was struggling to keep it into my mouth and not drool. Stupid alchemist was with their perfectionist views. I wasn't like a normal human I had a bigger chest and wide hips and carried a lot of weight growing up. It was frowned upon so I went crazy on dieting till I refused to eat unless I was close to fainting. It was dangerous but it got me to where they wanted me to be. I still had the abnormally large bust but my waist was smaller and I was underweight for my height. After Dimitri found out he explained to me why it was so bad to be as I was. Not only was it dangerous to my health but also it meant I would be taken down easily by any opponent why was heavier then me and even though I was quick I couldn't have the weight on my side to take down a strigoi to stake them. That had sunk in and convinced me to put on the pounds. Honestly I was happier as I was now and I did win most of the matches with my classmates. Still I didn't over eat and I exercised ever chance I got. I guess old habits die-hard.

The waitress placed the donut in front of me. The scent was overwhelming and I craved to taste it but I was still sceptical of what lay on the plate in front of me. Dimitri noticed my hesitation.

"What was my first rule? Don't hesitate. I promise you'll like it. I haven't met a person yet who hasn't," he said. I rolled my eyes. Always with the life lessons even when it comes to food.

Slowly I picked up the donut. It was almost the size of my face. I opened my mouth and bit into a small bit of the donut. The flavours flowed through me like a wave of happiness and the taste was so delicious that it took all my will power not to shove the entire then into my mouth. Even as I was eating it slower then my instincts were telling me to I finished before Dimitri. He looked at me and smiled as he finished off his donut. Dimitri was right; I did like it. I was craving more but of course I would never admit it. I didn't like being wrong.

When Dimitri was finished we paid and went back to the car ready to get back onto the road. I felt calmer but I was still fiddling with anything I could get my hands on. Oh god this was it. Please let me pass. please let me be a guardian.


	2. Chapter 2

By the time we arrived it was a little passed midday and the sun was blaring down at us from the centre of the sky. Dimitri hopped out of the car first and I followed closely behind. He walked towards the house and stopped. I froze confused why he had stoped. His head moved from side to side he was scanning the area. I looked around trying to see what caught his attention. Everything looked normal until I noticed something. The front door was open. It wasn't entirely open, barley a crack, that wouldn't have been noticeable to anyone who wasn't a guardian. Dimitri put up his hand to signal me. I stepped forward quietly and stood beside him.

"Rose," he said just above a whisper. "Go check the front. See if you can find anything. If you do, go back to the car and wait for me. If I don't come back within half an hour, leave," he handed me the keys. I was shocked by what he was saying. What did he think was in there?

"What? I can't leave you," I argued just as quiet as he was.

"Rose, if I don't come back I need you to leave. Call Lissa and tell her to tell the guardians. They will know what to do," he said. I wanted to protest more but I held my tongue.

This was serious and I had to be professional. Instead I stepped back and let him go in.

He barely made a sound as he moved even if he was walking on snow. The crunch of his boots on the driveway was so silent it was almost non-existent.

Once he had entered the house I made my way to the yard and looked around. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. No tracks no sign anyone had even lived here. Maybe they had left in a rush. That would explain the lack of care with the snow and the front door. Still it was strange that there was nothing. I guess new snow could have fallen and covered up the evidence. I made my way back to the car wiping the sweat off my forehead. Even though it was winter, the sun above was at its highest blaring down on me. I felt drowsy. The lack of sleep was finally getting to me. I was about to be on the driveway again when my foot hit something solid. I looked down and saw that last thing I expected to see. Frowning I reached down and dug the object out of the snow coated ground. It was a stake, a silver stake. The metal shone in the sunlight making my eyes squint from the brightness. What was a stake doing out here? I didn't have an answer but it was evidence so I took it with me back to the car and waited for Dimitri. After ten or so minutes he came back out of the house and walked back to the car making a lot more noise than he first did.

"What happened?" I asked as he opened my door.

"I think this is something you need to see for yourself," he said. I gulped. That didn't sound good. What was in there?

"Did you find anything?" he asked. I nodded and pulled out the stake. He took it and looked at it like it was an alien object. Then his face lit up like he had figured it all out.

"This is how they broke the wards," he muttered to himself. I stared at him trying to figure out what he meant but then it all came together. Wards were placed around this house and they were broken with the silver stakes.

Strigoi couldn't touch stakes as they held Moroi magic in them but humans could. This is what the alchemists had warned us about. Humans would work for the strigoi for the promise of immortality. It was one of the reasons we had tried to keep the secrets of the vampire world away from humans. If the strigoi had humans working for them, humans that can hold a stake and walk in sunlight, then we have a big problem on our hands.

"Dimitri, what is in there?" I asked.

"Come. This is something you need to see," he said and I stepped out of the car and followed him into the house.

Looking around I felt sick. There was blood and bodies everywhere. The smell in the air was morbid and made my stomach turn. It was nothing I hadn't seen before. In alchemist training some experienced alchemists would take the students out on the field to see what to do in these situations. I had seen murders and helped clean them up but this was much worse. It was a massacre. I shivered at the sight before me. Dimitri must have notice because we didn't stay long. After we had checked out the whole house Dimitri made a call and we went back to the car. As we drove back I couldn't get the image of the bodies with their throats ripped out and the horrible expression on their faces.

"Are you okay?" asked Dimitri.

"I've felt better," I answered.

"Sorry to make you see that but I thought it would be good for you to see why we do what we do," he said. I nodded.

"I understand," I said. "I have seen it before. I know what is at stake."

"It's important that you know even legends like Arthur Schoenberg can't see what is coming," he said. Again I nodded. I remember Arthur's corpse. It broke my heart to see that. One day that could be someone I know and all the people I love.

On the way back I closed my eyes and slept. Even with the images I had seen I couldn't stop fatigue from taking over me. I slept the whole ride back and once we got back it was dark. And it was Sunday, our day off. I went back to my room and took a shower before going to sleep. When I woke it was dinnertime. I got dressed and walked down to the cafeteria.

"Rose," someone called. I turned around and saw Dimitri.

"Hey," I said walking over to him.

"You don't need to eat with me anymore. I trust that you will look after yourself and I think it is best you spend sometime with your friends after...what happened," he said. I smiled and nodded.

"Thank you." I said and he gave his normal statue face with a hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth.

"See you at training tomorrow," he said and walked off.

The cafeteria was busy when I came in. people were talking loudly and the volume level was raised double. I didn't know what was going on so I ignored it and walked over to the table with my friends.

"Hey, Rose." Said Lissa sitting next to her boyfriend, Christian.

"Hey," I responded.

"Did you hear what happened?" asked Mason. I shook my head.

"There was an attack at on of the Badica's housed. Apparently there were no survivors including Arthur Schoenberg," said Eddie. My face dropped.

"Oh yeah I was there. Arthur was meant to be the one doing my qualifier but when we got there they were all dead. For a few days apparently." everyone looked at me in shock.

"Are you okay Rose?" asked Lissa.

"Yeah. I'm just going to get some food," I said and I stood up and walked to the line of people. Dinner tonight: slice of pie, mashed potatoes and peas. Desert: chocolate glazed donuts. I smiled and cursed under my breath.

"Damn you Dimitri."

thank you Kimavinzant for pointing out the review situation. everyone who has already posted a review from before i edited the story can't review but if you want to talk to me because you have seen a mistake or you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to PM me and i will always answer. i hope you liked this chapter because now that i have changed it i have many more ideas and they just keep flooding in and my story is feeling much more fluid and original now. thanks xx.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been few days since the massacre and the gossip was still circulating around the school. I did my best to ignore what people were saying but some things managed to get through. The stories people were saying were ridicules. Someone said that the massacre was a planned suicide to rebel against the royal court. I just kept to myself I did nothing to contribute what really happened. I made my way down the gym one morning when Mason ambushed me.

"Hey Hathaway," he said with his normal smiling face.

"You look happy. What's put you in such a good mood?" I asked.

"Seeing your face always puts me in a good mood," he said. I rolled my eyes. He was such a flirt. We had fun and I would sometimes flirt back but it was just fun.

"Haha seriously though. What's happened?" I asked.

"Because of the recent… events. The school has decided it is too dangerous to take the children out of the safety of the wards so a local Moroi owned ski lodge has offered everyone a place to stay. Its safe and behind wards and if anyone wants to bring their families they can and we get to go skiing," he said getting ore excited with each word.

"Wow. That actually sounds perfect. I haven't been skiing in so long," I said.

"Oh yeah? Were you good?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I was pretty good, why?" I asked.

"Because you Hathaway seem like the kind of person who is always too serious for fun," he said. I glared at him.

"That's not true, I have fun," I argued.

"When was the last time you had fun? Real fun? Not worrying about being an alchemist or guardian?" he asked. I was about to say something but had to stop and think. The last time I had that kind of fun was when I was around… five. I sighed.

"That's what I thought. Well theses holidays I am making it my mission that you will have fun real fun. See you on the slopes." He said and ran off before I could say anything.

I made it just in time to see Dimitri bringing out a dummy. It was dressed in clothes with hair and facial features that made it look so life like that you wouldn't have known it were a dummy until you looked at its skin.

"Hey comrade, what's going on today," I asked.

"Today you are staking," he said and my jaw dropped. in that second my world was turned upside down that it almost felt like time had stopped for me.

"Are you serious?" I asked unsure I heard him right.

"Yes. I think its time you learn. They way you handled the situation at the Badica's shows you are ready," he said. My mind was blown in those few seconds. I couldn't believe it. He was finally teaching me staking. He tossed me a stake, a real silver one. I caught it and eagerly squeezed my hand around it refusing to let the pointed piece of charmed silver out of my grip.

"First things first. Where is the heart?" asked Dimitri. I used the tip of the stake and pointed it to where the heart would be on the dummy. He nodded. The questions went on for about ten minutes and I answered them all. My private tutors had taught me all this. After a while Dimitri seemed satisfied with my answeres so he folded his arms across his chest and walked over to me.

"You have to hold it like this or it will slip out of your grip and you'll be dead," he said as he adjusted my grip to something that felt a little less comfortable but a lot more secure. I nodded and tightened my grip even tighter.

"Don't tense. Your hand will cramp up. Relax your shoulders and remember it's about aiming not just flinging about hoping to hit anything," he said. Again I nodded. I was just happy to be using a stake at all.

He showed me some attacking moves and how to strike out. When he thought I was ready he let me at the dummy. I used all the techniques he showed me plus some of my own. At the end he smiled one of his rare smiles.

"Very good," he said.

"Really?" I asked through pants. I didn't know if I was doing it right.

"You're a natural," he said beaming. "Just a few more lessons and you'll be a head of everyone. After the holidays you will start staking in you combat classes after that is field experience."

"Can we still work on this as well as sparing?" I asked. He laughed so quietly I almost missed it.

"See you are dedicated. Yes we'll keep working on this as well as sparing if you like," I smiled and nodded.

"Go get ready for breakfast and ill see you after school," he said still smiling. This was the most I had seen him smile ever. I smiled back and practically skipped out of the room. I was so happy. I finally got to use a stake. My heart was pounding in my chest and I ran all the way back to my room without needing to stop. I had so much adrenalin right now and all I wanted to do was jump up and down and scream out.

At breakfast, all anyone could talk about was the upcoming ski trip. I listened as they talked about the lodge. It sounded amazing. The lodge was built for the high class and royal Moroi for the holidays. This lodge sounded perfect with a pool, a sauna and on call feeders for Moroi. And best of all, it was safe.

After breakfast I made my way to class.

The day felt really long and boring until I got to combat class. Again we were sparing. I got paired with mason first and easily took him down. Something about how easy it was made me think he let me win.

Next I was with Eddie, which made me happy because I knew he wouldn't go easy on me. After ten minutes of sparring he managed to get a hold on me, pinning me to the mat he raised his practice stake into the air ready to bring it down to my heart. Without hesitation I used a technique that Dimitri had taught me and flipped us over so we swapped places. The flip was so quick that Eddie couldn't stop it more could he stop my practice stake as it came down and hit the spot where his heart would be. Instantly he stopped moving. I stared at him and a smile crept over both our faces. This was the first time I had beaten Eddie.

I rolled off him and lay beside him panting and laughing between pants. He stood up fist and reached out a hand to help me up. He pulled me up to my feet and gave me the friendly smile I loved. Someone patted my shoulder and saw Alberta.

"Nice job Rose. I hope Belikov doesn't make you too good or there will be nothing else for me to teach you," she said with a smile.

"Don't worry I have still got a long way to go," I said. Shrugging.

"No. Your better then you think," she said and then she did something that I think surprised the both of us. She hugged me. It felt like the way a mother would hug a child. She pulled away quickly but still smiled as she walked away.

In a way Alberta has been more of a mother to me then both of mine. One I didn't know was my mother until recently and even when she did meet me she didn't want anything to do with me. The other lied to me and made me believe I was the opposite of what I was. She grew me up hating my own breed. Alberta stood up for me even though she didn't know me. To this day I know she is protecting me. The alchemists don't like that I'm here. If I don't graduate with a Moroi to guard I belong to them. They will take me and do everything the can to take the Alchemist out of me and then they will lock me away so no other alchemist can be corrupted. I was pulled out of my daydream when Mason came and swung his arm around my neck.

"What was that?" he asked with a teasing tone.

''Just something I picked up in one of my training sessions with Dimitri," I said keeping my voice low so I wouldn't show just how much the thought of him makes my heart beat faster.

"God. You're even on a first name basis with the guy. Tell your Russian jailer to give you a break sometime so you can hang out with us. We hardly see you these days," he said giving me a look a sad puppy does. I rolled my eyes.

"No can do. I'm on a life sentence. Besides I wont be training at the ski lodge. There will be plenty of time to hang out up there," I said.

"True. I just hope you can keep up," he said and raced off before I could respond. I chuckled to myself.

Mason was such a fun and easy guy. Why couldn't I ever just go for the simple option? Easy answer: I'm never easy.


	4. Chapter 4

After school I met with Dimitri again. By now our training sessions had become a routine that I knew off-be-heart. I started with laps then stretched then Dimitri would tell me what we would do. As promised we started with sparring and then moved on to staking. He said I was improving which was great to hear as he called me a natural only this morning. My mother, Janine Hathaway, is a well known guardian; one of the best, so I guess I got her genes. Even though I didn't know it before.

When we finished up, it was almost time for dinner so I helped Dimitri pack everything away. Once the doors were shut Dimitri dropped the keys and when he went to pick them up I saw the six tiny molnija marks on the back of his neck on both sides of his promise mark.

"Did it hurt?" I asked.

"Hmm?" he asked straightening up.

"Getting marked?" I continued.

"Did it hurt? "

"No. What hurts is the reminder. Killing isn't easy. " He said not looking at me.

"Even killing strigoi?" I was very curious now. We had talked about how to kill strigoi and how important it is to do so, but we had never talked about how it affects someone.

"Even strigoi. They aren't born. They are made. After killing a strigoi you can't help but think about how they were before they turned and then you can't help but think of them as a person you killed." Suddenly everything felt like a puzzle that had just been solved.

"That's why you go to the church. You feel guilty for killing them. " I said with sympathy in my voice.

"You go to the church?" he asked. I nodded.

"I stick to the back. I grew up in a deeply religious society. I guess I'm still too used to it that I feel guilty when I skip, " I said honestly. I tried to keep to the shadows whenever I was there because even though I felt guilty if I didn't go, I would feel worse to sit and listen to the same talks that I heard as an alchemist where they told us to never associate with any kind of vampire because they would corrupt us.

"Sometimes it sounds like you understand me more than anyone I ever have met. Sometimes I think you understand me better than I do myself. " He said. This was the most person we had talked in a while and I liked it.

"You know. Everything I thought about Dhampirs and the marks when I was an alchemist was completely wrong," I admitted feeling guilty.

"What did you think the marks were for?" he asked.

"I knew guardians were given them after killing a strigoi but I used to believe that was the only reason they did it, for the marks and the glory. I know now I was wrong. " I said. Dimitri looked at me his eyes clouded with curiosity.

"What do they mean now?" he asked.

"It's like a scar. It's a reminder of something bad that happened but it's there for life. Scars heal but never fully. There is always a little mark left over. A mark that will always remind you of what happened but in a way it becomes apart of you. " I said. This time he gave me one of his rare smiles that froze me in place.

"You're a fast learner Roza, " he said.

"Roza?" I asked.

"It's your nickname in Russia, " he said.

"Roza," I repeated. The word rolled off my tongue. "I like it." His smile began to fade as his eyes caught something on my face.

"You were tattooed. You still have the lily. " He said. Self-consciously I put my hand to my cheek where the golden lily was.

"Oh yeah. no mine didnt hurt. i was too excited too feel any pain. After they found out it was too late. They didn't get a chance to remove it before I came here and there's no point of breaking it as it never would have worked to begin with because of my dhampir blood," the lily was always what I had wanted most and when I finally got it I couldn't have been happier.

"There are people here who could remove it if you want. " Said Dimitri.

"No. Even though I'm not an alchemist, it's become apart of me. A reminder of how my life began and what happened. I don't want to remove it. I know it sounds crazy, but-" Dimitri cut me off.

"It doesn't sound crazy at all. I understand. Follow me; there is someone you should meet. She has a similar situation. " He said and started walking off in the direction of the edge of the school. I followed a couple steps behind him. We came to an old wooden cabin.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"This is where guardians used to sit and lookout for strigoi. It's not used much anymore." he said and continued walking.

Ahead of us I saw two people, a man and a woman, talking. Squinting my eyes, I could see one was Christian but the woman had their back to us. Even from behind I could tell she would be beautiful. She had long, straight hair that flowed down her back like a raven waterfall.

"Hey, Tasha," Dimitri called out. The woman, Tasha, turned around and when she saw Dimitri she smiled. She said something to Christian and turned to meet us.

"Rose, this is Tasha Ozera. An old friend of mine," he said and she nudged him.

"Old? That's a little harsh I'm only a few years older. " She said to him before turning and greeting me. "Hey, " she said. The first thing I noticed was the scar on one side of her face. They were pink and looked like they had been on her face for a long time but they were in the shape of a bite mark.

"Hey, " I responded trying to not look at the scar. It didn't work.

"Don't stress. I'm not that sensitive," she said rolling her eyes. All alchemists had known about the Ozera family, it's why I didn't trust Christian when we first met but once he started dating Lissa, I warmed up to him and we had become friends-ish.

"Did that happen in the strigoi attack?" I asked trying to be sensitive. She nodded.

"Yeah. Strigoi bit in deep and didn't let go until it got staked. I'm lucky they didn't rip my cheek off, " She said. I nodded before I saw Christian walking up the hill. I smiled to her and she smiled back and I went to meet with Christian.

"Hey Rose, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Dimitri brought me to meet his old friend, Your Aunt," I said.

"So you have met my aunt. What do you think?" he asked.

"Well I haven't talked to her much but so far I like her. She seems very strong and determined. " I said.

"You've got that right. She lives in the human world and has a job teaching self-defence classes." This surprised me.

"Wow. That's even more impressive."

"Yeah. She's also had been doing magic defence. That's what we were doing before you arrived." This stunned me more.

"Isn't that illegal?" I asked.

"Technically not illegal. Just frowned upon. Besides who is going to see out here?" he asked. I shrugged, agreeing with him. Suddenly Tasha spoke up.

"What do you say Rose? "

"To what?" I asked.

"Having Christmas here with Christian and Lissa. Of course you can bring anyone else you want. " Said Tasha.

"Yeah that sounds great."

"Okay good. Don't worry I will have tidied up the cabin by Christmas."

"You're staying here?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm not exactly welcome in most places, but that's okay I prefer being alone. No one can stare at me, or whisper behind my back of how much they would love to throw me to the Moroi and join my family," she said and again I felt sorry for her, for ever thinking that what the alchemists told us about the Ozeras was true. I gave her an apologetic look, but she shook her head.

"Don't. I'm used to it by now. It no longer affects me. " She said and gave me a look that held fire in her eyes. I could see she didn't care about the rumours and whispering but she was determined. Committed to bring back her family name's honour and was determined to prove herself as anything but a future Strigoi. After that, Dimitri and I left and Tasha went to the mall for some last minute Christmas shopping.

"So what did you think?" asked Dimitri. I considered for a moment before answering.

"I think she has gone through a lot. And she is determined to change the minds of all those people who think she will turn out the same as her family. " I said honestly.

Dimitri didn't turn to me. We continued walking in silence for a couple of minutes before he spoke again.

"And what did you think of the scar?" he asked.

"I think she was very beautiful without the scar, but in a way the scar makes her more beautiful. It's what steers her on her mission to prove herself. She has become a fighter and I don't think that would have happened without the scar. Now, even with all the talk behind her back, I think she likes it being there as a reminder, the same was the tattoos are," I said and, on instinct, touched the side of my face with the gold tattoo printed on.

"You are good at seeing people Roza, " he said repeating my Russian nickname. His nickname for me made my heartbeat speed up and I prayed he wouldn't notice it.

"Maybe your Zen life lessons are wearing off on me. " I said. he chuckled quietly and my heart fluttered.

We walked in silence for the rest of the way.

Once we had made it back to the gym, we both said goodbye and went our separate ways. As I walked across the grass back to my dorm all, I could hear was the velvet voice with a slight Russian accent whispering one word, or more of a name: 'Roza'.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas came quickly and before I knew it, our small group of friends were walking to the cabin for Christmas with Tasha. I had managed to convince Eddie and mason to come along seeing as their parents wouldn't be able to come down this break. My emotions were all over the place. For me Christmas had been one of the biggest holidays for alchemists. The twelve days before there was no training or school. That was the only time we could go anywhere. Of course my mother was still on duty, but with her permission I got to go with the others to the mountains and go skiing. That was years ago. As I got older and training became more serious I stopped and only enjoyed the one-day alchemists got off. Christmas day. My mother would cook and we would spend the day together doing the most human things that we didn't get to do another time. Now looking back I know why she chose to do simple things. Because she knew I wasn't human but didn't want me or anyone else to know. Sighing I closed my eyes for a few seconds savouring the memories of how nice she was before she turned me in to save herself. My real mother and I had never spent any time together apart from that one day where she looked at me like I was the biggest disappointment to walk into her life. She gave birth to me but she had never really been a mother to me. She probably forgot about the holiday and seeing me. I don't care, as long as I have my friends by my side. I pulled my chin up and put on my best fake happy face. This was going to be a long day.

Tasha welcomed up warmly and seated us to a table with delicacies set up in the middle of the table. Dimitri was already there along with the person I least expected. My mother. She had her mask on as usual but there was something about the way she looked at me that was different. I shook it off and joined at the conversation at the table. After dinner we all exchanged presents. From Lissa I got a small beaded bracelet with a heavy gold crucifix hanging from it. It looked like the rosary I had before coming here but smaller. There was a word for it but I couldn't remember. I slid it onto my wrist and it came to me. It was a chotki.

"That's Liss but I'm not that religious anymore," I said playing with the small cross silently hoping no one would bring up the topic or my past any further.

"Look on the back," she said. I flipped it over and there on the back engraved in the gold was the Dragomir crest.

"It's a family heirloom. Handed down to all the guardians of my family. It was brought to me a few days after the funeral," she said. I closed my eyes holding back the overwhelming emotions flooding through me.

"Lissa, no I can't. I can't take this. It's too much. What if I don't become your guardian?" I asked.

"Then you can give it back. But you should keep it anyway. Because even if you aren't my guardian, you are my bond mate, and I know you will always be watching over me when you can," she said. I smiled and nodded.

The next gift for me was from Tasha. It was a red silk mermaid style dress with embroidered flowers decorating the bodice. The dress looked very sexy, expensive and unlike anything I would have worn I'm my past life. Maybe that is a good thing. I thanked her for it and she smiled knowing she bought right.

"I thought you would like it. Red looks like your colour your figure would be perfect for this style of dress." I looked over to Dimitri for a second at the comment of my body. He knew it was still a sensitive subject but nodded his head as if to say what Tasha was saying was right and I was better like this. Again I thanked Tasha. That wrapped up the evening. I said goodbye to Tasha and Dimitri, who offered to stay behind and help clean up, and walked back with the others. I was about to turn into the novice building when a hand grabbed my forearm and froze me.

"Rose," said my mother in a small unsure voice. "Can we talk?" she asked sounding nervous, which surprised me. She had always seemed so statue like and clear of emotion that I forgot she wasn't just a guardian. I nodded and she followed me into my room. Once we stepped inside she looked around my room. There wasn't much that I owned apart from some clothes, a couple books and my alchemist kit that was still hidden.

She looked around at the books on my shelf. The one that were mine from before were stacked in a small pile. It held alchemy stories or legends and a small bible that was given to me when I was a baby. She skimmed over those quickly but stopped at the books I had taken out from the library. It was a big stack of books on animal behaviour and evolution.

"Are these for a report?" she asked as I sat down on my bed.

"No. I'm just interested in that stuff," I said.

She looked surprised for a moment before she nodded. She came over to me and handed me something small in a sealed envelope. Her movement was quick and directly towards my face. Her quick movement put my senses into gear and I almost struck out at her, instead I forced myself to stay calm. She wouldn't hurt me. I am her daughter.

"Here." She said. Her statue face was back in place even her eyes hid what she was feeling. I guess that would be something I would need to work on with Dimitri.

I took the envelope from her hand and hesitated before tearing it open. Once the paper was removed I found a square piece of thick paper and a necklace. On the necklace was a small glass pendant with coloured circles. The pendant was no bigger than a dime and was cool in my hand. The circles started with a small dark blue circle that almost looked black. Surrounding that was a circle of pale blue and around that was a circle of white that was then followed by a very small ring of the same dark blue. In a way, the pendant looked like an eye.

"Thank you," I said holding up the necklace. She nodded once and I undid the clasp to place the small pendant on my neck. Next I picked up the piece of paper and turned it over in my hand to see what it was. What I saw shocked me and left me frozen with wide eyes and open mouth. It was a picture with a small girl wrapped in a white blanket with brown eyes. I knew without being told that the baby was I. I was in the arms of someone and smiling up at them. The arms were obviously masculine and on the right hand there was a silver ring with a dark red gem in the middle. I could not see who the person holding me was as the picture cut off right before I could see, but closer examination told me that this picture was deliberately cut so I wouldn't see.

"Is this me? With my dad?" I asked my mother. She nodded.

"I don't remember much from that time. It was so long ago, but I found this somewhere and thought you might want it," she said.

"Did you find it cut like this?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "Believe me Rosemarie, I don't remember much from that time, but what I do remember is your father cutting that picture and walking out of our lives." I looked away from her.

"How did I end up with the alchemists?" I asked in a cold voice.

"I don't know. It was such a bad time for me everything just feels so fuzzy and blurred. I couldn't even remember I had a daughter until I got the call and pieces or that time came back to me. Pieces keep coming back and are joining together but everything is still so blurred," she said this time she let go of her mask revealing her frustration and sadness.

"So I guess it would be pointless to ask who my father is," I said still not looking up.

"I have tried to picture him but every time I do something just pushes me away," she said. " I have tried to remember who they are but I can't." we sat in silence for a few moments as I took in all the information that I had just gotten.

"Thanks mom. I believe you," I said and wiped away a tear that had escaped and was running down my cheek. "It doesn't matter." This time I did look up and met her eyes instantly. She looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

I sighed. "I mean I don't care about the past. You don't need to keep trying to remember the past. I wouldn't remember any of it either. I don't need my dad, I have my mom. Even growing up as an alchemist I didn't have a dad. I don't need one now as long as I have you." I stood up and walked over to her and took her hand in mine. "Mom. Can we please just start over as a real family. I know you have your duties and I don't expect you to always be here to hold my hand, but I would still like to see you," I said. She squeezed my hand and smiled. I smiled back feeling another tear threatening to fall but this time it was a happy tear.

"I would love to, Rosemarie," she said.

"Can we just stick with Rose?" I asked. She nodded.

"Rose." And then she did something that surprised me and maybe even herself. She hugged me. Her arms were wrapped around me tightly holding me to her. I hesitated before hugging her back scared that it would ruin the moment, but it didn't. We stood like that for a while before we she let me go, we said our goodbyes and she left. I touched the pendant around my neck and wondered what it meant. She wouldn't just give me a necklace. This necklace had to mean something to her.

I walked over to my desk brought out my laptop and started typing.

"Time to figure out what you are."


	6. Chapter 6

The day of the ski trip came. I had my bags packed and ready. As I looked at the pendant around my neck in the mirror I felt my frustration grow. My research gave me nothing. No answer to blue and white-eye pendant online anywhere. I sighed and gave up but I couldn't stop thinking about it. A knock at the door drew me out of my thoughts. I opened it and found Lissa dressed in light blue skinny jeans and a white snow coat with fake fur lining the hood and neckline. Lissa was a lover or all animals, there was no way she would ever wear real fur even though she could easily afford it as a princess.

"Ready to go?" she asked. I nodded and turned to grab my bags. I had only packed the essentials plus the new dress Tasha gave me just in case, and a few small vials from my alchemist kit hidden safely in a small hidden compartment in my bag.

Together we walked down to where everyone else was waiting, our bags dragging behind us as we walked.

"So you and Christian getting serious?" I stated and gave her evil look.

"Oh you saw that huh?" she asked. Yep, part of the bond. I was always being brought into her mind whenever her emotions were very strong. It wasn't too bad during school and I had started working on controlling how to go into her mind when I wanted and how to not be pulled in. I was getting better at it but it took a lot of focus and I had to put up a wall between us to stop it. Unfortunately when I'm sleeping all my guards are down and can be pulled into Lissa's head without knowing it. That is exactly what happened last night. As I lay in bed asleep, Lissa and Christian were spending some quality time together in the church attic. I managed to pull myself out of there before I saw anything but after that I was too scared to go back to sleep leaving me tired today.

"Yep, but don't worry I didn't see that much. Just to the point where he brought out the condom," I said and she blushed.

"Sorry I honestly didn't mean to," she said.

"I know Lissa." I said and we continued walking in silence for a couple seconds.

"Was that your first time?" I asked.

"No I lost my virginity last year with Aaron when we were still dating. But it was my first time with Christian," she said. I gave her a smile.

"I'm happy for you two," I said and she smiled back.

"Thanks Rose. Maybe you should find someone. You haven't dated anyone and I don't want you to be alone," she said. I chuckled lightly.

"That's sweet Liss but I'm fine being alone. Besides who would be interested?" I asked but silently added _I'm not sure even Dimitri is any more._

"Mason is," she said and I looked at her with wide eyes.

"No Lissa we are just friends. We flirt but that's it. He doesn't like me like that."

"You are so blind," she said. "He is so interested. Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?"

"We are just friends," I state.

"Who says it can't become something mere?" she asked. "I just want you to have fun Rose."

"Who says I'm not having fun?" I said.

"You know what I mean. You're still a teenage. You shouldn't be so serious yet. These holidays just promise you'll at least open yourself to the idea of it," she begged.

"Okay, I'll think about it," I said and she nodded with smiling.

It didn't take too long, maybe a couple of hours before we arrived. The moment we stepped foot onto the snow I felt happier. This place was safe I had nothing to worry about. I stretched my stiff muscles and looked around. The sun was just starting to rise. There would be no skiing tonight but that was fine by me. At that point all I wanted to do was get some dinner and go to bed. We were led into the lodge and my eyes widened. This place was so much bigger then I had expected and looked so fancy. Everything was laced in some sort of expensive mineral, fitting for a royal. Lissa looked amazed as well but not like the novices were. She had grown up with royals and had been to places like this before. We were given our rooms and were left to explore. Lissa and I were sharing as I had requested. Our room was a suite perfect for a princess. There were two beds each was double the size of my bed at the academy and had enough room for me to spread out like a star without falling off the side. From age thirteen I had been taught to be mature and think like an adult. I had no room for anything childish anymore but now there were no rules on fun and I did promise Lissa to try to have fun. I couldn't hold back the child in me. I dropped my bags and ran at the bed before jumping and diving onto a pile or cushions surrounded by the soft, warm quilt. I sighed and Lissa giggled.

"I guess I'm taking this bed then," she said and made her way to the bed on the other side of the room.

"Yep. This one's all mine," I said as I stretched out all my limbs but still couldn't completely fill it.

About an hour later I was on my way down to where Lissa and the others were for dinner. I was just about to round a corner when a loud voice stopped me in my tracks. I pushed my back against the marble wall and moved closer so I could hear. There were two voices both whispering loudly almost like they wanted to be shouting at the top of their lungs but didn't want to attract attention.

"I'm not going to ask again," started one voice. "What are you doing here? You know what my great aunt will do when she sees you," said the first voice. It was obviously male and sounded young and boy did he sound pissed.

"Yes I know what your aunt will do but you don't need to worry. No one knows who I am. And even if they did I doubt they would say anything. I'm a disgrace remember," said the second voice. For some reason my brain buzzing. There was something familiar about his voice. I moved my head around the corner only slightly to see and what I saw almost made me gasp. Quickly my head came back and my hand covered my mouth stopping the gasp from reaching my lips. I swallowed the gasp and removed my hands after I had calmed myself down. For the man that stood a few feet away from me was Abe Mazur. I hadn't seen him since the hospital but from what I heard he went back to Russia. What was he doing here?

"You didn't answer my question," said the first guy. There was a long pause that I had almost given up and just stepped out but then he spoke.

"I need to speak with your aunt," Said Abe.

"Great aunt," corrected the other guy. "And that is never going to happen."

"Adrian. You are messing with things you don't understand," said Abe in a warning tone.

"Or am I? I know who you are Zmey and I know who you were," said the guy Adrian.

"Your aunt shouldn't be telling you these things," said Abe.

"She told me so I could stop you. You can't keep doing this. You were banished from court. You have no place there anymore."

"I don't want anything to do with court. I don't want to go back there. I am much happier as I am today," said Abe.

"Even without your wife and daughter?" asked Adrian. Wife? Daughter? That was never in Abe's file.

"What do you know about that?" asked Abe.

"I don't know who they are just that you were all separated and you want to find them," said Adrian sounding hesitant.

"No. I have already found them and I just want to ask your aunt permission to stay in this country to be with them," said Abe.

"Are you sure they want to be with you?" asked Adrian.

"I guess I would have to be with them to find out. I also need permission to tell them," said Abe.

"They don't know?" asked Adrian.

"They don't remember," Abe responded. There was a groan and I tensed up.

"You can go talk to my aunt but I make no promises. I need a smoke," he said and I heard his footsteps coming towards me. I turned my back and started walking back in the direction of my room when a voice stopped me.

"Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop?" His voice sounded soft and completely different from a few seconds ago when he was talking to Abe. I froze on the spot. I didn't know whether to turn around or bolt out of there. I had been caught I knew that and there was no backing out now.

"Little Dhampir," he said. His voice was hypnotic like silk and pulled me to turn to face him. His eyes widened.

"Or should I say little Alchemist," he said. His face showed confusion but quickly something else replaced that. His eyes widened in realization and he smirked like he had just figured out everything.

"Hello Wrong alchemist."


	7. Chapter 7

I sighed out loud but suppressed the groan.

"Why does everyone call me that?" I asked quietly to myself not expecting an answer.

"Maybe because of the tattoo," said Adrian shrugging his shoulders and sticking his hands into his coat pockets. I gave him a pointed look and he just smiled wider.

"Not what I meant," I said. So far I had met at least eight people who had called me that. I didn't like it. The Wrong Alchemist mad it sound like I grew up training to become something that was completely wrong for me. Like all my hard work was for nothing. And it was true.

"I know what you meant. You're famous in our world and you haven't staked a strigoi or even graduated from high school yet," he said. I folded my arms across my chest and gave him a smug look.

"Actually with the alchemists I graduated high school at age fourteen," I said with a smirk of my own. "I even got a certificate off my tutors." He looked taken back by this information.

"So you have to go through high school again already knowing everything they teach you. That sounds long and boring."

"I'm just there for the guardian training," I said shrugging.

"Ahh yes I hear you were going to be Vasilissa's guardian. That's a very important job guarding a princess," he said and reached into his breast pocket to get something.

" I know but I wont be alone and she is my best friend. I will protect her no matter what." I said and frowned on the last bit when I saw what he was doing. He pulled out a small box and pulled out a cigarette.

"So what happens if you don't pass?" he asked but I couldn't focus on his words. He looked at me waiting for my answer and stuck the unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"I don't think you can do that in here," I said. He looked down to what I was gesturing to and smirked.

"Yeah," he said running a hand through his already messy hair. "I had better go outside then." he took the cigarette out of his mouth but still held it in between his fingers. I didn't say anything and he smirked. I nodded and made my way around him toward the dining hall. I had only made it a couple of steps before Adrian stopped me in my tracks. i had to admit he was very attractive with his green eyes that were very similar to lissa's but he was also creepy and I had a bad feeling about him.

"See you around, Rose." He knew my name. This whole time he knew who I was. How? I couldn't be that famous. I had only been a dhampir for a couple of mounts and yet everyone knew who I was and my back-story. Maybe Dimitri was right; I should have removed the tattoo. No I couldn't. This tattoo is a reminder and even though a lot of the memories were bad there were also a lot of good memories and I couldn't bear to part with them or this tattoo. I continued walking not daring to turn around and give Adrian the satisfaction of seeing my shock. I had mad it just as dinner was finishing up and managed to grab a plate of whatever was left. The hall was huge and had been set up the same way as the schools. I guess it was easier to feed us all like this. The others all looked up when I reached the table and Lissa looked mad.

"Where have you been? You are an hour late. We were just about to leave," said Lissa in an accusing tone.

"Sorry Liss I got held up," I said. She was about to speak again but I cut her off. "Won't happen again. I promise." She looked in my eyes to make sure I was being honest. Once she was satisfied she looked away and turned back to Christian. Mason, who sat next to me, nudged me lightly.

"Where did you go?" he asked. Could I tell him what I heard? No it wasn't for me to tell. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but I can't start spreading rumours.

"I was just exploring and I got lost. Honestly, I didn't get to see anything good. I was just wandering the corridors for the past hour trying to find the hall," I said.

"Okay. Well you know where it is now," he said and I smiled. I ate my dinner as quickly as I could. It was nicer then the food at St Vlad's. I had gotten some sort of lamb with a sweet green sauce. It was fit for a royal. Too bad they would never eat enough of it leaving such a waste of expensive food. "The sun is almost up. We might want to bed soon if you want to be on the slopes bright and early," he said and I nodded in agreement. He took my hand, helped me to my feet and we both walked back down the halls to where out rooms are. They were close, only a couple of doors away from mine. After he wished me good night and he went into his room. Once I had made sure he was inside and not coming back out I quietly walked back town the hall and made a left. I had lied to Mason about just being stuck in the corridors, truth is, I actually found a whole bunch of secret doors and had mentally made a map so I would know how to get back to them later. Now was the perfect time. Lissa went to spend some quality time with Christian, so I didn't really want to be asleep right now. No one would come to get me as they all thought I was in bed. I would get a little bit of alone time and I new exactly what I needed. After a couple more twists and turns I made my way to the balcony with the best view of the mountains. The sky was pink and orange as the sun was slowly starting to ascend over the snow dusted trees. The snow glistened like diamonds in the light and I sighed happily. I had missed this. My body acted without me thinking and I mad my way to the railing. Snow coated the top of it but made it look beautiful like it had always meant to be there. My fingers gripped to top of the railing. The metal was cool but didn't feel cold on my bare skin. I hadn't bothered to grab a jacket so all I was wearing was a pair of dark denim jeans and white blouse. The brown ugg boots kept my toes warm but I was also tempted to take them of just so I could feel the cold against my skin. Goosebumps broke out on my arms and yet I didn't feel cold. This was perfect. The sun rose over the mountains and I couldn't help but smile as I closed my eyes and took in the cold of the snow, the tickle of warmth radiating from the sun or the sounds of the winter breeze around me.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" asked a voice I would know anywhere. I opened my eyes but the smile stayed planted on my lips.

"Are you following me comrade?" I asked.

"I saw you running down the hall. You were quiet I will give you that but your hiding wasn't as good," he said and I chuckled.

" I wasn't trying to hide. I didn't expect anyone to be around to see me," I said.

"I'm hall monitor," said Dimitri.

"So are you gonna drag me back or turn me in?" I asked.

"Neither," he said. "I probably should but I don't think that will be necessary if you tell me what you are doing out here." He said. I sighed and dropped my smile. Dimitri walked over to a metal rectangular box against the wall and sat down. He gestured next to him and I followed sitting close but not too close that we would touch. Things had gotten better between us since the charm incident and I didn't want to ruin that.

"So what are you doing here at this time?" he asked.

"I needed some alone time to think. Sometime away from my friends and sometime away from the bond," I said still looking out at the view as the sun started rising higher making the sky brighter and the snow look even more like tiny diamonds.

"Why? What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing really happened. Its not my friends fault it's just that recently I have felt different but I don't know if I like the change in me," I said. "I just needed to think about what had changed in the last couple of months. I cant really though. A lot happened in that time I will need more then one night."

"You have changed Roza but not that much. When I met you, you were dedicated to your work as an alchemist. Now you are even more dedicated to your work as a dhampir. Nothing has changed," he said and he took off his duster and wrapped it around my bare shoulders. I wasn't cold before but once his coat touched my skin and the scent and feel of him wrapped me I realised I was freezing and the only thing that could keep me warm was Dimitri.

"No something has changed," I said still looking out at the horizon. Dimitri froze beside.

"Rose is this is about the eating and the weight gain you know-" he started but I cut him off. I turned to face him and shook my head furiously.

"No. No, no, no. That's not it. Actually I am happier now. I realized how unhealthy it was. I needed your help to push me. You were right. I'm not an alchemist anymore and I don't have to make myself to fit their standards. Now I can be me. And I blame you for getting me addicted to chocolate doughnuts," I said and he laughed a full laugh that made my stomach do somersaults. After his laughing had died down he turned to me and looked into my eyes.

"So how have you changed?" he asked.

"As an alchemist we were told to blend in with the humans, not attract attention, only reveal yourself to a human when they need help or you need to convince them what they saw wasn't real. I stood out like a sore thumb before I lost all that weight. I did it so they would stop looking at me and whispering behind my back. Once I had gotten to their standards the glares stopped and I could finally blend in with them. In a way I got used to blending in but that was before I found out the truth. Now everyone knows the truth and once again everyone looks at me like I am different," I said. Dimitri looked taken back.

"Rose, what are you saying?" he asked.

"I'm saying that everyone knows who I am and how to find me," I said touching the tattoo on my cheek. I'm famous and I am known as 'The Wrong Alchemist'," I said and sighed covering my eyes with my hands.

"Where have you heard that?" asked Dimitri again and I could feel he was getting angry by the tone in his voice.

"A few people have come up and asked me about it. The most recent was today by person called Adrian," I said. Upon hearing that name Dimitri's face changed.

"Adrian Ivashkov?" asked Dmitri.

"I don't know all I heard was Adrian, who is he?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter who he is. He is bad news Rose. You can't spend any time alone with him especially if he knows who you are. If he tells his great aunt you could be in big trouble," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because she is the queen and on the day at court the queen promised that if you ever left the school without graduating the alchemist could claim you," he said.

"No. Even if the Queen knew the alchemists would never know where I am, and even if I did they would never come here to a place full of vampires just to get me," I argued.

"The alchemists always know and always find a way to get what they want. If they hear that you are here, they will come for you. They want you Rose. But I'm not going to let them take you," said Dimitri and then he did something that shocked whatever was left of my brain after hearing all this information. He brought me into his embrace and hugged me tight. I expected him to throw me off the second he realized what he was doing but he didn't. Instead he brought a hand to the back of my head and started playing with end strands. This was more than I expected. He shouldn't do this when I know he feels for me the same way I felt for him. This was dangerous for both of us but I couldn't move. He made me feel safe. He made me feel loved. But that was what was wrong. It was so sad knowing that the best feeling in the world was the one I had to keep hidden from everyone. Well not everyone. I never had to hide from Dimitri and I didn't ever want to.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry, there was a confusion on the last thing I uploaded. I had a rant because of my friend, who is not confident, got a review on her story that has hurt her to the point that she doesn't want to write anymore. I'm sorry for the rant but it made me angry that someone could crush someones passion and hope in a small sentence. once again im sorry and on with the story.**

The next day I woke up to the sound of banging on my door. Lissa was still asleep in her bed and groaned at the loud noise. I looked at the time on the clock beside my bed. It was way too early to be knocking on people's doors. I threw one of the many pillows on my bed at the door and groaned loudly.

"Rose, open up," said the voice from the other side of the door. Mason.

"Rose isn't here," I said loudly and pulled my pillow over my head to block out the noise.

"Oh well I guess I will have to go skiing on my own then," he said.

"Yup," I replied. "Have fun." I rolled back onto my side. It was quiet for a moment but that didn't last long. Soon enough he started knocking again this time louder and harder. I gritted my teeth. It was way too early to be out on the slopes why couldn't he just let me sleep. I hadn't gotten to bed until late last night and was in no way up for anything this early in the vampire morning.

"Rose just let him in. he's not going to go away until you do," said Lissa rolling over away from the door. I sighed and flipped the quilt up revealing the skin of my bare shoulders to the air. It wasn't cold exactly but it wasn't as warm as my bed had been. I opened the door and gave him a begging look.

"Mason, what do you want?" I asked.

"Skiing," he said gesturing to his ski clothes. "Hurry. Get dressed."

"Mason," I said with a lazy smile. My eyes felt heavy and I was scared I would fall back asleep right there and then. "It is way to early to be up on any schedule. Come back in an hour. I promise I will be dressed and fed and then we can go."

"Okay Hathaway but you will owe me this hour later," he said and he walked away while tapping his wrist where a watch would be. "One hour. You promised." He said and he walked away. I shut the door and sighed.

"Really? You want me to date him?" I asked Lissa.

"He's better when it's not the middle of the night," she replied without looking at me.

"True. All right, I guess there is no point of going back to bed. I'm going to have a shower," I said and walked into the en suite bathroom.

The shower was modern adorned with all sorts of fancy buttons and settings. I chose the sun shower setting and that woke me up enough that I would actually process information. Last night Dimitri and I had a moment. The first moment since the lust charm and I didn't want it to end. Eventually, it had to because he had work to do and I had to go to sleep. I still felt tingles from where he touched me. Just thinking about him made my heart beat two times faster. I couldn't live with out him. But I also couldn't be with him. We both knew it and that hurt more than any of the injuries I had gotten from training. Could I move on? Mason was sweet and I promised Lissa. I just didn't know if I was strong enough to move on and let Dimitri go. Once the shower was over I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and dried my hair.

Once I was dressed and ready I made my way down to the dining hall. All the staff was there but none of the food was ready. I convinced them to let me have a piece of toast and made my way to Mason's room with a minute to spare. I was always on time; it was part of being an alchemist. I knocked once and, unlike me, he opened the door instantly.

"Perfect timing. Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yup, lead the way," I said and we both walked to the ski room with all the equipment. Our ski clothes, boots, and equipment were all just rentals but were perfect for what we required.

It was pitch black outside when we made it out, something I was definitely not used to seeing. Lights lit up the mountains so we could see where we were going but it still wasn't the same.

Mason and I both went up on the ski lift and raced down the mountain. Sometimes I would win and sometimes he would win. Something told me we were both letting the other win. Him because of his little crush and me because I didn't want him too feel bad to be smashed by a girl. It was fun hanging with him but pretty soon we had to go back inside for lunch. He was much better at getting his gear off then I was and had finished before I had really started.

"I'll go see where the others are and get us some food," he said.

"Good idea. I'll be there soon," I replied.

My feet hurt from the boots. Pulling them off was such a relief. All my stuff was put away and I was left wearing my ski pants and a black tank top when a familiar face walked in.

Adrian.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said waltzing into the room.

"Are you following me?" I asked.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Wrong alchemist. I just came to get some alone time," he said holding up a packet of cigarettes.

"Can you please stop calling me that," I begged.

"What?" he asked.

"Wrong alchemist," I replied.

"Would you prefer Little Dhampir?" he asked.

"I would prefer Rose but anything is better than Wrong alchemist," I said folding my arms across my chest.

"Great, little Dhampir it is then," he said and winked. I sighed. "Aww what's got you down Little Dhampir?" he asked.

"You," I responded. "How do you know me?" I asked.

"I told you, you are famous in the vampire world," he said.

"You haven't told anyone I was here have you?" I asked remembering the conversation with Dimitri.

"Whom would I tell?" he asked.

"Your Aunt?" I responded.

"Oh so your scared of the queen?"

"No. I just have to be careful of who knows I'm here," I said.

"Oh I get you. Don't worry I haven't told anyone but I can guarantee if she knows all the St Vlad's are here she will know you are as well," he said.

"That's fine as long as she keeps it to herself," I muttered to myself.

"Well I had better let you go," he said and I nodded. "I'm having a party tomorrow at the pool you should come. And bring your friends," he said.

"I don't know if that is such a good idea," I said.

"It might not be but it might be fun. Bring that red headed boyfriend of yours as well," he said.

"He's not my boyfriend," I said quickly. Adrian smirked.

"Okay see you there. Have a good day Rose," he said taking my hand and placing a kiss t it before I could object. I pulled my hand back and he smirked wider.

"You smell good," he said. I gave him a puzzled look and before I could say anything he turned on his heel and walked out the door leaving me frozen in shock.


	9. Chapter 9

After lunch Mason, Eddie and I decided to go back out into the snow but wouldn't be skiing this time. It took some convincing but we managed to persuade Lissa and Christian to come with us. It was still pitch black but the lights above us made it almost seem like day. Mason suggested we all make a snowman. We all agreed and the boys went off to go make the body while Lissa and I wondered around to find the decorations.

"How is your magic going?" I asked quietly.

"Its still on lock because of those pills but I can feel it and I have this constant urge to use it," she said.

"But you still can't right?" I asked just making sure.

"No I can't," she responded.

"You do know it was for your own good?" I asked hoping she didn't secretly hate me for what happened.

"Yeah, you were right. I was out of control. I just had so much anger and I couldn't stop thinking about how much I hated how my life was going and that almost brought me to… to," she hesitated.

"To cutting," I finished. She nodded and looked down looking guilty. "Have you ever done it before?" I asked.

"No. I was never like that. The only reason I was going to in the first place is because of the anger and the darkness growing inside me. If you didn't stop me I don't know what I would have done so thank you," she said. I remember the day perfectly. It was just after a shopping trip where we bought dresses for some dance at the school. Lissa had come back fine but she met with Christian and they had a fight. I was at training with Dimitri at the time but was pulled into her head just as she brought out the blade. I ran to her room and snatched the blade out before she could break the skin. She thrashed at me to get it back. Dimitri had followed me and held her back until she grew week and passed out. I immediately reported it to the nurse, which had made Lissa hate me. She ignored me and for a time I never thought she would forgive me. She did as soon as the issue with Victor was over and agreed to go on medication that would lock her magic until she was stable.

"I'm sorry I reported it. I should have just talked to you and let you work it out for yourself," I said.

"No, you were right. I needed help and the only way I could get that help is from an adult. Honestly, you did the right thing. I was just too stubborn to see it," she said and hugged me.

"Lissa you could never be as stubborn as me," I said and hugged her back. We walked back with sticks, pinecones, and seeds in our hands for the snowmen, but when we got back there was no snowman. There were only footprints on the snow. I started to panic. What happened? Where were the others? I stood protectively in front of Lissa dropping all the decorations. I heard a branch crack and just turned my head when we were attached. A snowball hit my face. Hard. I coughed the snow out of my throat and plunked away the water in my eyes. Laughing roared from the bush beside us. I smirked and walked over to the bush and shook the tree beside it, causing a blanked of fresh snowfall on top of it. Mason and Eddie shot up out of the bush and shook the snow off them.

"That's revenge," I said crossing my arms across my chest.

"Oh come on Rose. Admit that you had fun. Not everything has to be so serious," said Mason.

"Where's Christian?" asked Lissa. Eddie, who had just finished shaking off the last of the snow, walked over to Lissa.

"He went back to the lodge. He asked us to tell you he will be meeting with his aunt. You can go join him if you want."

"Sure. I will leave you guys alone then. Eddie, do you want to come?" she asked. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to get me and Mason together alone.

"No, I'm good here. I haven't spent much time with Rose. I need to check out her skills," he said and winked at me.

"Okay well, you guys have fun. I'll see you later," she said and she walked off.

For the next hour, we had a snowball fight. I was hit a few too many times in the face but got back at them both every time. We walked back to the lodge after a while. Eddie ran ahead saying he had to go meet with a friend and help him out with his girl friend. They were going through a rough patch apparently. Mason and I walked alone. We talked like friends do nothing about this felt like a date. Until I slipped on an icy part and fell over and he slipped, trying the help me, and landed on top of me. We both laughed and he looked into my eyes. He was lying on top of me pinning me to the ground and after a while, he stopped laughing and leaned in and kissed me. It was a soft kiss, gentle and sweet; my eyes were open with surprise. He had kissed me. I didn't know what to do. I promised Lissa I would try but I couldn't forget Dimitri. God this was nothing like the way Dimitri kissed me. His kisses made my soul come alive. Made my skin tingle where he touched me. Made a fire blaze within my heart and made me feel alive. Truly alive. With him, I felt the best feeling I could ever imagine and yet we could never be together. Mason pulled away and looked disappointed like he had read the wrong signal, which maybe he did. It didn't matter now. With one last thought of Dimitri and the love I had for him, I pushed all thoughts of him away into the bottom of my heart where they would have to stay, and I reached up bringing Mason back to me and his lips back onto mine. It wasn't the same but it was nice and I would try. Maybe I could be happy even if it wasn't with Dimitri. I would always love him in one way but that didn't mean I couldn't learn to love another. We walked back hand in hand and I made my way to my room to get changed for dinner.

Dinner was nice. Mason and I had left the kiss a secret from the others for now. After dinner, we had all made our way to the lounge where we could all hang out together but then we ran into someone coming down the hall.

"Tasha what's wrong?" asked Christian reading the worried expression on her face.

"There has been another Strigoi attack," she said.

"Wait What? Where?" I shouted frantically.

"A Drozdovs house was attacked by Strigoi. There were more strigoi than the last time. No survivors," said Tasha. "Everyone's meeting now in the hall to discuss what to do."

"I have to find my mom," I said and bolted out toward the hall before anyone could protest.

The hall was buzzing with people. Their faces were frozen with fear. I spotted my mom with Dimitri talking to Alberta and Kirova. I ran up to them and waited for them to finish before I bombarded them with questions.

"Mom," I said and she turned around to face me.

"Rose," she said as she saw me. I pulled her into a hug. She still wasn't the loving motherly type and wasn't used to showing affection but she did hug me back.

"What happened? I heard about the strigoi attack but I need to know details," I said.

"Rose, this is classified information. I don't think I should be telling you," she said releasing me from the hug.

"She has a right to know. She was there the day we discovered the Badica attack. She knows more than any one else and she knows about the humans helping the strigoi," said Dimitri coming to my rescue again. My mother looked at him and then turned back to me and nodded. She told me everything about the attack. Like Tasha said, there were no survivors.

"So humans did help?" I asked. My mother nodded.

"Yes, more broken wards. This attack was almost identical to the Badica attack only bigger and more deaths," she said and I nodded.

"Can I see the list?" I asked. Dimitri nodded and handed me a clipboard with a list of names. On the list were the family itself, the guardians and the staff working in their home. I knew none of them, but how would I? As I was reaching the end one name did stick out to me. Rinaldi. That name sounded so familiar.

"Dimitri," I whispered looking up at him. I handed him the clipboard and pointed to the name. "Who is this?" I asked.

"She was one of the Drozdovs maids. Julia Rinaldi. She is Mia's mother," he said. My heart fell.

"Oh no," I said and again I bolted out to find Mia.

It took me a while but eventually, I found her hanging in the corner by an indoor water feature, curled up into a ball, sobbing into her knees. I walked over to her and she looked up and groaned.

"What are you doing here?" she spat out like poison aiming to hit me. "Have you come here to gloat?" she asked sounding wounded.

"I have come here to try to help," I said and sat down beside her. She turned away from me.

"Like you would want to help me," she laughed out.

"Look, Mia, I know we have had our problems but honestly I wouldn't wish this on you. This is the worst thing that could ever happen to a person. I just want to try to… I don't know. Try to make it better even though I can't," I said and she turned to face me. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. Her doll like face was red and splotchy and had tear stains decorating her cheeks like spider webs.

"You can't help me. And, you shouldn't want to. You hate me. And I hate you," she said and turned away again.

"Come on Mia. This isn't hate. This is regular teenage girl bitchiness. Everyone grows out of it. One day we will probably be best friends. Maybe that could be tomorrow if you just open up to me," I said gently.

"You wouldn't understand," she said still refusing to look at me.

"I understand more than you know," I said. "I haven't lost my mother true, but I have gone from having a nice family to having no family to only having my mom. For a while I felt alone."

"It's not the same," she sobbed.

"True. But I still had someone who was a mother to me and I lost her. I lost the only person I thought was my family to discover that a complete stranger was my real mom. Even though my adoptive mother lied to me and kept what I really was a secret, she still raised me and cared for me. I only met my real mother a few months ago and only recently has she been able to hug me without pushing me away."

"How did you deal with losing your adoptive mother?" asked Mia, with her back still to me.

"I didn't lose her exactly," I started. "I haven't told anyone this but after Dim- Guardian Belikov had told me he thought I was really a dhampir, I had called up my mother so she could come and tell me the truth. When she came she told me everything but before anything else could happen the alchemists kicked down my door and took me away. My mother betrayed me. And that was the last time I ever saw her, or ever will."

"So what happened after that?" she asked. It was a hard story that I didn't like to repeat but I liked that I had taken her mind off her mother even if it was for only a little while.

"I was taken to court and locked in a jail cell. A trail was set up and eventually, it was agreed that I would get the chance to become a guardian and if I didn't the alchemists could take me away to be locked away. They don't like when things don't go their way. If it were said that a dhampir was an alchemist they would believe that I had corrupted everyone. If I could prove that I could be a guardian and live life as a regular dhampir then they couldn't touch me. If I failed they would lock me away from any other Alchemist so I could never corrupt anyone else again," I said.

"That sounds tough," said Mia but something about the way she said it told me she didn't care about my life story right now.

"So are you finally going to open up to me?" I asked. She sighed and turned around to face me.

"All my life I have lived below the Royals. I had no royal blood I was just a regular Moroi. My mother had done everything to make me look up to standard of the Royals. I had joined their group and had power. I had everything she wanted for me and yet I couldn't stop. When you came and you and Lissa became friends and started gaining popularity I felt threatened. I couldn't let my place be take away so that's why I was so mean to you both. I just wanted to keep my place at the top and make my mother proud and yet everything I did was something that would make her so disappointed in me," she explained and I listened with an open mind. "She was the only one that was always there for me. She worked hard shifts to pay for my school and the fake designer clothes that kept me at the top. She was my best friend and I told her everything, even the hard parts. She understood me and forgave me every time. Now she's gone and I feel so broken. I feel like a part of me is missing and I don't know how to replace it," she said.

"You can't," I said. "She was your mother. There will never be anyone like her to you. Do you have a father or siblings?"

"Yeah my dad works at court," she said.

"You could go to him. Being with family might help," I said but she shook her head.

"No. I called him; he said he doesn't want me there until after the strigoi situation has been fixed. It's too dangerous," she said.

"That does sound reasonable," I said.

"I know," she said. "I just need to be with people who will understand, you now?" I nodded.

"Then stay with me or talk to Lissa. She doesn't hate you, she never did and she has been through the exact same thing. She has lost her whole family and she is better now," I said.

"Yeah because she had you," she started. "Even if she had slot her family she was never alone. She had you and you are bonded. You will always understand what she is feeling and how to help. I don't have any friends."

"Yes, you do. You have me and Lissa and our small group. We are not much but I promise we will all be there for you," I said. She looked me in the eyes as if checking to make sure what I was saying was true. A moment later she flung herself at me, wrapped her small arms around my frame, and sobbed into my chest. I hesitated for a moment before I hugged her back and stroked her hair.

She really was a nice person hidden behind her own insecurity. She has been through so much and all I want for her is to feel safe and feel like she is not alone. No one deserves to be alone.


	10. Chapter 10

The next night was Adrian's party. When I had told the others about it they were hesitant but decided to go anyway. Mia had come with us, which was nice. She had been hanging out with us a lot in the last twenty-four hours and she seemed to be doing okay but I suspected that was just her mask. We all made our way down to the pool room to where Adrian had told me to meet. Adrian sat in a corner surrounded by people in their early twenties, mostly female, drinking some sort of pink cocktail and laughing loudly. He spotted me instantly and waved. I waved back small and in the corner of my eye, I could see Mason glaring at Adrian. He was jealous but he had no reason to be. Adrian was the last person on this planet that I wanted to be with. He smokes, obviously drinks, seems to have a pretty bad hold on women (judging by the numerous death stares I was getting from his friends) and he wasn't Dimitri. He was good looking, I had to admit, his hair was always messy in a sort of 'just got out of bed way, but it suited him nicely. He was well built for a Moroi, tall, even skin, broad chest and the one thing that stood out from everything else. His eyes. The vibrant jade green that matched Lissa's perfectly. From what I had seen, most Royals had the same eye colour as they all came from the same blood. Except for the Ozeras. They all had the same ice blue that suited their raven hair perfectly. Adrian stood up from his little group and walked towards us.

"Glad to see you could make it," he said in his usual lazy manner.

"Well we didn't have any better to do seeing as the lodge is on lock down," I said.

"This will be fun I promise. Introduce me to your friends," he said and I turned to face the rest of the group.

"Everyone this is Adrian. This is Mia, Eddie, Christian, Lissa and Mason," I said gesturing to each one as I said their name. Everyone seemed to give a smile or a nod, but not Mason, when I said his name he just glared. Adrian ignored it and walked over to Lissa.

"Hello princess," he said taking her hand and kissing the top of it lightly. "It's nice to see you again." Lissa's eyes were wide and her cheeks flooded red. Christian's brow turned to a frown.

"I don't think we have met before," she stuttered out.

"It was a long time ago. I saw you when you were a baby, of course, you have changed since then," she explained.

"How do you know me?" she asked.

"We are cousins, distant cousins, but still related by blood." Adrian's smile had never faltered even with the glares of Mason and now Christian.

"Aren't all royals?" said Lissa in a joking tone.

"Exactly," he responded with a wide smile that showed the white tip of his fangs.

"So tell us, Adrian, how did you and Rose meet?" asked Eddie. Adrian looked and me and I gave him a small look and secret shake of the head. No. They couldn't know how we met. I had told them I got lost if he told them the story of me eavesdropping I would be busted and have to explain everything. Thankfully Adrian seemed to take the hint.

"The other night. She was in the dry room putting away he ski gear and I saw her and instantly recognised her from the rumours. I called her Wrong alchemist and she begged me not to bring that up and so we talked for a little bit before she said she had to go and I invited her to this little get together so I could get to meet her friends," he explained. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in and gave him a small grateful smile. "So enjoy yourselves, help yourselves to some drinks and have fun, not too much fun. I'm responsible for all minors." And with that, Adrian swept a majestic bow to Lissa, which look ridicules with him in board shorts, and walked off.

The pool was warm and heated. We sat at the opposite end to Adrian and his friends. Servers brought out all sorts of different drinks in fancy glasses with expensive looking decorations on top. A blonde woman brought one to me that looked like a layered pyramid of different melted chocolates. I took the glass off her and smelt the liquid inside. All I could smell was chocolate.

"Is there alcohol in this?" I asked and Eddie sniggered.

"Rose it's a party and they aren't carding us. I wouldn't be turning down the free drinks," he said taking a sip out of his.

"I have never really drunk alcohol before, well apart from the Equinox dance, but even then I only had one sip of wine," I said.

"That was it? Really rose you have not had any life as a normal teenager," Said Lissa.

"I haven't had the chance. You have to always be focused and can't let anything cloud your mind. Even now I have to stay sober to protect you-" I started but Lissa cut me off.

"Protect me from what? We are inside, there are guardians everywhere, wards surrounding this place, friends all around to look out for each other, you're still a teenager not a guardian and you should at least do it once," she said pushing the drink in my hands towards my face.

"Can't I wait to the legal age before I try it?" I asked. I was actually really nervous. This could be dangerous, but Lissa was right, we were entirely safe here.

"You won't be a teenager then. You will be a guardian and you will have no excuse to drink. Besides drinking illegally is the fun part, the rebellious part, about being a normal teenager. You did say you wanted to be normal," she said. I knew there was no use in fighting her on this. I took a deep breath and took a big gulp of the drink.

Apparently the chocolate smell must have been strong enough to cover the smell but not strong enough to cover the taste. All I could taste was the strong burning taste of alcohol and the sweet after taste of the chocolate. After swallowing I coughed a little but once I had recovered and I could taste the drink still in my mouth I realised it was nice. Quickly the alcohol hit me and fogged my brain but that didn't stop me from taking another drink and then another. Each drink was a different colour, some bright layered like a sunrise dark some dark not layered but had lighter streaks and swirls inside. Each drink was more delicious than the last and I was addicted. After finishing my third I reached for another but Lissa pulled my hand away from the tray.

"Wow. I think that's enough you don't want to overdo your first time," she said. "You don't know what can happen. Maybe you should eat something." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, mom. You were the one who got me to drink the first one. You got me hooked. I'm an alcoholic now," I said while shrugging my shoulders. Lissa chuckled while Mason just looked pissed. "This is my first and only time so the least you can do is let me have my drink." Again I reached for the glass but Lissa pushed the server away.

"I think she has had enough," she whispered but I could still hear her clearly. "Can you maybe bring some food?" the server nodded and wandered off.

"My head is spinning. Is that normal?" I asked no one in particular.

"Judging by how much you drank, yes," said Christian smugly.

"I'm going to go get that food," I said and hopped out of the pool and made my way to the kitchen. I stumbled my way around the corner when I ran into something solid.

"Wow watch where you're going," said a smooth voice. I tilted my head up and met the jade green eyes and smug smirk of Adrian.

"Sorry. I was just going to the kitchen," I said and started wandering off towards an open door when I was pulled back.

"How much have you had to drink?" he asked.

"Not that it's any of your business but I have had a couple of those fancy cocktail things. Why?" I asked.

"Because that's not the kitchen," he said and I looked into the room and a shiver ran up my spine.

In the room was row upon row of humans. They were in white gowns, strapped into medical chairs but that was not what made my stomach twist. Their faces were lit up with goofy smiles and their diluted pupils were one indication of what they were, another was the vampire's mouth at the side of their necks. These people were feeders. I felt sick to my stomach and my head was throbbing, not from the drinks, I gripped onto Adrian to steady my balance. Feeding was the way for Moroi to survive. It was better than strigoi who murdered and killed innocents, they only took enough blood to keep them alive. Still, I couldn't help but feel disgusted at the sight before me. These people willingly gave their blood for the high they get from the Moroi's saliva. Alchemists always looked down on feeders but it was our job to supply them to needing Moroi to prevent them from going rogue on humans and change themselves into Strigoi. I had to deliver a few on training missions with other alchemists my age. The high they got was as addictive as any human drug and they were hooked to the point where it was hard to talk to them without them zoning out every ten minutes. I never had a problem with any vampire species, except strigoi, but that didn't stop the dirty feeling I got whenever I saw a feeding. Feeding was a private thing, only for a source of food, but there were others who the Moroi sometimes feed off. There are dhampirs that give their blood willingly for the high. This is seen as taboo in the vampire world and in the alchemist world. These dhampirs were referred to as blood whores as while they give their blood to the Moroi for the high most of them also give themselves. They live all together in blood whore communities that are warded to keep strigoi out. Most of the time the dhampir blood whores are women and as a result of the sex they get pregnant and stay to raise their children. This was why there was such a shortage on guardians, especially girls. Some mothers let their children go off to academies like St Vladimir's, to become guardians while others don't want their children to go off to die and raise them like a normal human. Adrian held me up and looked at the expression on my face.

"Come on, let's get you out of here and get some water," he said and led me away.

Once in the real kitchen, I was sat down at the table and given a tall glass of water and a muesli bar.

"Thanks," I said in a flat tone.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just a little shaken up I guess." I rubbed my bare arms trying to warm up my skin that had broken out in goose flesh.

"I guess that would be hard for you to see that," he said and I scoffed.

"You have no idea."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah the spinning has stopped and I feel more in control but still not sober," I said and took a long sip of my water.

"What made you drink anyway?"

"Lissa. I had never been drunk before and Lissa convinced me to let loose and enjoy my teenage years while I still have them. I promised her I would have fun. I should probably head back, she's looking for me," I said.

"Can you feel that through the bond?" he asked and I froze.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"I can see it. You don't hide it well," he said and I closed my gaping mouth.

"Can you also keep this just between us?" I asked and he nodded.

"I won't tell a soul."

"Thanks for the help," I said and finished the muesli bar. "I should get going," he nodded and stood up to help me. As soon as I stood up I stumbled and he caught me. I guess the water and food helped my brain get clearer but I was still drunk.

"I think you should go back your room and get some rest. Ill help you and then I'll tell the others what happened. Okay?" he asked.

"Okay."

He held me up as I walked along the corridor. The room was wobbling slightly but was more stable than it was before.

"Rose?" came a voice from behind that I would know anywhere. My heart fluttered as I turned around and saw him. He came towards us in his usual leather duster. His hair was tied back in a small ponytail with only a few strands loose and framing his face. His eyes, that was usually soft and looked like melted dark chocolate, now looked hard like he could kill with one look.

"What is going on here?" he asked coming towards us. I looked between Adrian and me and realised how this must have looked with me only in a maroon bikini and him in only board shorts.

"Nothing. I was just…We…" I stuttered out trying to find the right excuse. I knew he would not be impressed if he found out what I was up to.

"I was just helping Rose back to her room," said Adrian coming to my rescue. I shot him a look and turned back to meet Dimitri's eyes.

"I'm sure Miss Hathaway would no longer require your assistance lord Ivashkov. I will take it from here," said Dimitri. Adrian scoffed and smirked wickedly at Dimitri.

"I'm sure you will. See you later little dhampir. Don't worry I will let your friends know that you won't be back," said Adrian and he let go of me and walked away. Without his support, I stumbled and had to hold onto the wall to stable myself.

"Are you drunk?" Dimitri asked as soon as Adrian was out of sight.

"Maybe… okay yes," I said and looked down at the creamy marble tiles at my feet. He sighed loudly, which only made me feel worse.

"Roza look at me," he commanded and I obeyed. His face was much softer and more understanding.

"Why would you do this to yourself?" he asked as he looked into my eyes. I must have looked awful. I felt sick and all I wanted was to go to sleep.

"Lissa convinced me," I said trying to make my words come out evenly.

"Vasilissa convinced you?" he asked with a confused expression. I nodded.

"She said I was too uptight and I don't have fun like a regular teenager. In fact, this is my first time drunk, and probably my last because my head is throbbing," I explained.

"You should have fun, but this isn't the way to do it," he said.

"I'm not a guardian yet, I'm still a teenager, I wasn't on duty and we were safe inside. I thought now would be the best time," I said and giving him a hard glare but it mustn't have looked too scary because he just giving me the same look of confusion.

"Still this could be bad. If you got out of control-" he started. I jumped in and interrupted him.

"But I didn't!" I shouted.

"You could have," he shot back at me. "And what could have happened then? You gave into peer pressure and you can't do that. You're still young, have fun, but control it. I don't want to see you ruin your career over one stupid mistake." I knew his words were reasonable even though they were kind of harsh to hear.

"They come first," I said at last.

"In this line of business, you have to be serious and sometimes uptight to remain focused. You can't let any persuade you into doing something you are not comfortable with. Do you understand?" he asked and I nodded.

"I understand," I responded instantly.

"Good, now let's get you back to your room." I followed behind him clinging onto the wall beside me for balance. At one point I had let go of the wall, swayed, and would have fallen backwards if Dimitri didn't catch me. He put an arm around me to hold me up and we walked down the halls to my room. I suddenly became very aware of the situation, my in just a biking and Dimitri with his hand on my bare waist. His touch burned my flesh, in a good way and left my skin tingling. Once we reached my door, he moved his arm away leaving me with an empty feeling. Suddenly, feeling self-conscious, I wrapped my arms around myself to cover up slightly.

"Thanks," I said.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"I can look after myself comrade," I said smiling.

"I know you can," he said. I saw his control slipping, mind had vanished after the third drink, and I was getting dangerously close to doing something stupid.

"Well I should go," I said breaking the silence.

"Yeah. I have something to tell you but it can wait until you have sobered up and can remember," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"How do you expect me to come see you if you don't expect me to remember anything?" I asked.

"Because we always find each other," he said. There was a double meaning in the way he said it but we both ignored it and I said goodbye to him before departing into my room and falling asleep the moment my head touched the pillow.


	11. Chapter 11

The next day I woke up with a pounding headache. I groaned and rubbed my temples. I flipped off the quilt and felt the cold on my bare skin. It was then that I realized I was in nothing but my bikini from last night. I tried to remember all that happened but I couldn't. The only thing I could remember was meeting Adrian and Dimitri's last words after he helped me back to my room. When I stood up I felt sick but managed to keep down. I was on my way to the bathroom for a shower when Lissa came out. The moment she saw me she gave me a wicked smile.

"Morning sunshine," she said loudly making me cringe. "Have a nice sleep?" she asked sarcastically.

"What happened last night?" I asked.

"Well you, my dear, had a few too many cocktails and ended up taking a wrong turn into the feeders room. Adrian told us that you had a panic attack at the sight and went back to your room for the rest of the night," she said. Flashes came back to me of Adrian, the pool, the drinks, the feeders, and Dimitri.

"That sounds familiar," I said and groaned as my head pounded harder.

"Here," said Lissa and gave me a bottle of pills. Aspirin.

"How do you have these?" I asked.

"That might have been your first time drunk but it wasn't mine and I always come prepared," she said smiling. I don't know how she could be so cheerful if she had a hangover especially if it was anything like mine.

"Thanks," I said and took two pills before going into the bathroom for a shower. The aspirin and shower helped a bit. The throbbing pain in my head was gone and I didn't feel so groggy. Afterwards, I got changed into a pair of black jeans and a navy long sleeve shirt with a pair of comfortable boots. After my hair was dried, I pulled it back into a low bun and kept a few strands out to frame my face. My hair was getting longer and my side bangs have grown out longer than my chin. I didn't want to have to cut my hair even when I become a guardian. I had grown up with one feature never changing, never being told to be fixed because of imperfections. My hair. It was the only thing that has never changed and it was the one thing I never wanted to change. Instead, I would put it up. Lissa was already gone by the time I was ready so I was alone. I pulled my cover back onto my bed and made my way to Dimitri's room. Just as I was about to knock the door opened and Dimitri came out.

"Rose?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"You told me to yesterday. I remembered," I said almost embarrassed for what happened.

"Yes I did but that will have to wait. Everyone is being called to the main hall for a meeting," he said and I knew what the meeting was about.

"Will the queen be there?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes so we will have to stay to the back out of sight," he said but I blanked out after 'we'. He's still looking out for me. We made our way to the hall where everyone was. Academy students were seated to one side, with the guardians and teacher with them, everyone else was standing and shouting. Dimitri and I snuck through the crowd and found a spot behind a pillar where we would be hidden but could still see what was going on. I spotted Lissa through the crowd. She wasn't seated with the Academy, instead, she was with the Royals and beside her were Christian and Tasha. Two men were standing raging at each other about the attacks and what should be done. I blocked out as much as I could but some parts make it past my barriers and into my ears. Saying how it was the Guardian's fault for not protecting them and how there weren't enough to protect a large family. The other was fighting back on our side, even though he was a royal, saying that nothing could have been done and the guardians couldn't stop what they didn't see coming. The house was warded. They believed it was safe and even when the attack started they were outnumbered and not prepared. This went on and on for a while until everyone fell silent and the queen stepped in. she wasn't dressed in robes or anything overly majestic. She was just wearing a plain pearl pink suit dress, similar to what I would have worn as an alchemist; she looked more like a politician than the queen I last saw. Everyone took their seats and she came in and bowed their heads. I followed suit blending in with the crowd.

"Thank you for coming everyone. This meeting has been called to order to explain what happened and find a solution. Academy students, you are here because we know this also affects you and it does not seem fair to keep you in the dark in these wretched times," she said. We all raised our head as she spoke. Her words were fair and she was right, we did deserve to know especially since this does affect us.

She went on to give a detailed report of what happened. The story was the same as what I heard. After she finished she sat down and asked people to stand up and speak out any proposals. One by one people stood up, one person said there weren't enough guardians and that the age for graduation should be lowered to sixteen. I sucked in a breath and Dimitri noticed because he placed a hand on my shoulder to keep me calm. Another said that there should be more wards but others argued that takes too much energy for one family to keep them up. A guardian I didn't know stood up and explained his ideas that we should allow guardians to go out and hunt down the strigoi packs. Again that idea was turned down because it was a suicide mission and an unnecessary risk to Guardian's already dwindling numbers. All hope was lost until Tasha stood up and announced her idea.

"I think its time Moroi learn to fight, to use their magic so they can fight along side the guardians and protect themselves," she announced. People laughed and argued against her calling her crazy and that would risk Moroi lives. She argued that they used to before Moroi became soft and only used their powers for little things. Again that caused outrage among royals and people questioned how any Moroi could use their magic to fight.

"Like this," she said with a smirk and in her hands, created a fireball and threw it at the Mable wall across the room. Being stone it didn't catch on fire but it did leave a black scorch mark where the fire had hit it. Jaws dropped and eyes widened. The room was silent for a minute you could hear a pin drop and then the chaos broke out.

The academy students were rushed out leaving Lissa and Christian with the crowd of royals. Dimitri stood up.

"Come on. Let's go now when she won't notice. We aren't needed here anymore," he said. I stood up.

"What about Christian and Lissa?" I asked.

"They have to stay but don't worry they will be fine," he said and I followed him out.

"So you said you had to tell me something?" I asked as we made it to a corner where we were alone.

"Yes, but before I begin, what were you doing with Adrian Ivashkov?" he asked. I thought back into my messed up memories.

"Well, I had met him when I was on my way to dinner with my friends. He was talking with Abe," I said and Dimitri looked surprised.

"Abe? What is he doing here?" he asked.

"I have no idea. I didn't know what to do so I stayed still and listened. They were talking about Abe's family and trying to find them and talking to Tatiana. After they had finished I tried to leave but Adrian saw me and that's when he called me the wrong alchemist. We talk for a bit before I ran off to join the others. The next day I had met him again and he had invited me to a party. With nothing else to do and a gloomy air hanging over us I thought it would be fun and a way to distract us from what happened. I can't remember much but I got drunk and went out to get some food made a wrong turn to the feeders room and I felt really sick from that. He helped me sober up slightly and was about to help me back to my room when you came and instead you took over. He was just trying to be nice I promise nothing happened," I explained.

"I believe you but I don't trust him," he said.

"He was really nice and understanding when he saw how I reacted to the feeders," I argued. I didn't want Adrian to be turned into a bad guy after helping me.

"Yes everyone knows that wouldn't be a great thing for you to witness and I'm glad he helped you but I don't want you to be alone with him. He has a bad reputation and-" he started.

"I can look after myself. And believe me, I am not interested in Adrian," I said and smirked. "is that all you wanted to talk about?" I asked.

"No. There is more information that was brought in last night about the Strigoi from the attack. I shouldn't be telling you this but you were there when we discovered the first attack, you have a personal connection to this one and I think this would help you learn the other side of being a guardian," he said and I smiled.

"Well thank you for this but I don't want to get you in trouble for telling me something I shouldn't know," I said.

"No, it's not classified just most people are saying we shouldn't tell Academy students. But I know you are mature enough to handle this," he said.

"Thanks."

"We've managed to track some of the Strigoi," he said. "Or at least the humans with them. There were witnesses who lived nearby who spotted a few of the cars the group used. The plates were all from different states -the group appears to have split up, probably to make it harder for us. But one of the witnesses did catch one plate number. It's registered to an address in Spokane."

"Spokane?" I asked. "Why Spokane?"

"No Idea," he said, deadpan. "The address was fake, but other evidence shows they really are there. There's a kind of shopping plaza that has some underground tunnels. There've been Strigoi sightings around that area."

"So what's going to happen?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said voice flat of emotion.

"Nothing? Can't they send people down there to get them?" I asked.

"No, we would be risking lives for something that we don't fully understand. we don't have enough information," he responded.

"Do you think that what Tasha said in there was right? That Moroi should be learning to defend themselves?" I asked wanting an honest answer.

"I think it is the Moroi's decision whether they want to fight or not. Dhampirs should always be protecting Moroi as we have been for centuries but it wouldn't hurt to have help from fire uses or other elements. I just don't think it should be illegal and that people should have the right to decided to learn to fight or not," he said and I nodded.

"That sounds reasonable," I responded.

"Unfortunately I don't think anyone will allow it," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because they haven't changed their way in hundreds of years. They don't like change, even if it would help get rid of Strigoi," he said and I could tell it annoyed him.

"Maybe one day they will. Maybe someone will come along and convince them to change," I said and he smiled at my words.

"We can only hope Roza," he said.

"Well I guess I should get going," I said and he nodded.

"Stay out of trouble," he warned jokingly.

"Don't I always?" I smirked and walked off.


	12. Chapter 12

I had just rounded the corner when I ran into something solid I looked up and the first thing I noticed was the flaming red hair.

"Mason," I exclaimed wondering if he had heard my conversation with Dimitri.

"Hey, I was just looking for you," he said with a bright smile.

"Well, you found me. You weren't here a couple of minutes ago were you?" I asked.

"No. I just came around the corner and ran into you," he said.

"Literally," I finished under my breath.

"Where were you off to?" he asked.

"Nowhere. Lissa and Christian are still stuck inside with the Royals. Was going to wait for Liss to come back so I could ask her about what was going on in there," I said honestly.

"That could be a while. Do you wanna hang out?" he asked. I was a bit uncertain.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well, I think we have done the pool and my muscles are still sore from you whipping my ass on the slopes. I was thinking we could just watch a movie," he said.

"Sure," I responded. "Where?"

"How about your room. We'll be alone there considering Lissa will be with the Royals," he said.

"Yeah sure. Sounds good," and we both turned down the way he came and headed to my room. On the way there I couldn't stop thinking about Mason and how he didn't deserve this. Yes I promised Lissa I would have fun but that didn't mean I had to date Mason. I knew he liked me but it wasn't fair to him to be with him when I couldn't take my mind off someone else.

Once inside we longed on the couch and put on a movie. I didn't know what it was called but Mason did. Apparently, it was one of his favorites although I suspected he was only watching this for my sake. The movie was a romantic comedy where two friends pretended to date and fell for each other. Cheesy chick flick. I stopped paying attention halfway through and thought about what Dimitri had told me. That underneath a mall full of humans was a group of strigoi waiting to come out and knock off royal families. It wasn't until Mason put his arm around my shoulders and brought me to his chest that I was brought back to the movie. I rolled my eyes at the couple confessing their love. "Lucky," I said in my head wishing one day I could say those words out loud to Dimitri. That will never happen.

Mason pulled me closer and tighter. I looked up at him into his eyes and saw my own reflection staring back at me. I looked so fragile in this moment, almost like the anorexic alchemist girl I used to be. I blinked a couple of times and look at masons face. His love for me was written all over it. It was clear how he felt for me. How could I have been so blind? He looked back at me and then to my lips. Slowly he leaned down and I ignored the voice in my head saying to stop him. He loved me so much. He deserved at least a chance to see if I could return it. He kissed me long and deep. His lips were soft as they moved against mine. I responded with the same urgency. My mouth opened wider allowing him to explore my mouth. He moaned deep in his throat as he lowered me down onto the couch with him hovering on top of me. Our lips never parted except to breathe every few seconds. I closed my eyes and let myself be swallowed up by the feeling of him.

His hands traveled up and down my body sculpting my curves and edges. His lips traveled to my neck where he sucked and nipped at my tender skin. It felt good. His lips continued further down to my collarbone and that was great. He pulled back for a second and traced his hands on the hem of my shirt asking me permission. I nodded and helped him pull my shirt off over my head. I was left in my jeans and bra. It wasn't the most exciting bra I owned but rather one for normal day wear. He didn't seem to care. His lips returned to my collarbone and traveled back to my neck. His hands went down my waist to the top of my jeans and to the top button. As his lips moved along my jawbone I released a small noise that encouraged him to keep going. I was gasping and a smile formed on my face. My lips started forming a name but before the name could come out I heard him moan and it was like a bucket of ice water was thrown on me. My eyes flashed open and I pushed him off me. I grabbed my shirt and pulled it back on with my back still to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Were we going too fast?"

"No, its not that it's just… it doesn't… its doesn't feel right," I said honestly. I didn't dare to turn back to face him. I could feel the disappointing look he was giving me on my back.

"What do you mean?" he asked. I turned back to face him.

"I'm sorry Mason I wanted it to work I tried but it just doesn't," I admitted.

"Great here it comes. The 'we'd be better just being friends' speech," he said.

"We are better as friends. What we had was simple and not complicated like everything else in my life is. I don't want to ruin that by doing this," I said.

"So dating me is complicated? I'll ruin you?" he asked his voice getting louder.

"That's not what I meant," I said but I knew he knew that. He just needs to be angry.

"God Rose, I liked you so much for so long and then when you finally take notice you push me away," he said and it only made me feel worse.

"Mason it's not like that. I like you and I wanted to give this a try but it's not working out," I said now raising my voice.

"You didn't try. You kissed me once and held my hand once where have you been since then? With Adrian, with Lissa, with Christian. With everyone but me. You call that trying?" he accused.

"I gave us a chance. I let you in after I have closed myself on and it didn't work don't blame me for this," I said getting angrier.

"No I am going to blame you for this because it was you who closed yourself off," he said and stood up and walked over to the door. "I hope one day you learn to stop being stubborn and open yourself up to the chance of happiness." And he slammed it behind him as he left.

I jumped at the sound. If only he knew the truth but I couldn't tell him. No, it would just hurt him more and put Dimitri's job at risk. No, I couldn't tell anyone.

I turned off the TV and made my way to my bed where I curled up and sunk into my thoughts.

I must have fallen asleep because I was woken up by the sound of Lissa slamming the door as she walked in steaming with rage. She growled as she collapsed onto the bed beside me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Christian happened. After that meeting he was going on and on about how stupid these royals are being and how he won't be in the same room as any of them," she explained.

"And you don't agree?" I asked.

"No I do agree they are being stupid but there is a ball tonight and all royals have to go. As the princess, I have no choice but Christian is refusing. I can't go alone. Can you come?" she asked.

"No," I said instantly. "No, I can't be seen. The queen can't know I'm here," I said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Alchemist reasons," I responded.

"Well, you won't be seen. It's a masquerade ball and I have already ticked plus one. Please," she begged. I ignored her. "Please" she begged again. "Please. There will be food," she said. I looked at her with a small smirk.

"Can I leave when it gets boring?" I asked.

"Of course I just need someone to sit with. I can't have an empty seat beside me or else it will look like I have no support," she said.

"Okay I'll go but the instant things get boring I'm out," I said and she squealed and hugged me tightly. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile and hug her back. Honestly, I was excited. I had never been to a ball before but from what Lissa told me it was a room with rich people and royals where they eat, dance and socialize with other rich royals. Basically, it was a gossip session and a chance for those with more money to show it off with their dresses. It was a good thing I packed the dress Tasha gave me for Christmas.

She was right, the color was perfect, and the material fits my new body figure perfectly. Looking in the mirror I felt better. This was the real me. I wasn't as thin as a stick nor was I fat, I was fit. I could see the outline of muscles that I had gotten from training. My waist was still so small but it had always been that size. My bust was still big as it had been before but it seemed to have gotten bigger. I almost needed to go up a cup size. This dress wrapped around my hips and waist accentuating my figure and the color made my dark skin, hair and eyes stand out.

I put on a pair of sleek black stilettoes and a pair of fake ruby earrings. I put on a little makeup mostly on my eyes, as that was where the mask would direct people's attention most. Lissa did my hair in a half up half down style that has a fancy knot where my hair met. She finished by adding a small sparkly clip and I finished with a blood red lipstick. Lissa looked as beautiful as a sunrise and as delicate as a snowflake. Dressed in a sleeveless deep purple satin ball gown by some famous royal designer. Her blond hair was pulled back into a low side bun and looked like gold in contrast to the dark purple. On top of her head sat a small tiara with only a few gems on it. It was simple but still stood out. She looked like a real princess.

We both made our way down to the banquet hall where the ball was being held. A few people turned to look at us but we were plain compared to some of the people. Everyone knew Lissa but I was hidden. They would be able to tell I was a dhampir just by looking at me but the simple black mask worked to hide my true identity. I had done my makeup so the tattoo would be covered and I would blend in as just another guest.

We sat down at a table with our names written on small place cards. Mine said Christian Ozera but I ignored it and folded it down so it would be hidden. I saw a few people staring at me and I felt self-conscious of my tattoo until I realized that's not the only reason I would be interesting. I was a dhampir at a Moroi ball. I was an outsider not worth the time of day here. Lissa was a young princess and yet she had already made a name for herself and here she was bringing a dhampir friend. I guess it wouldn't be much better if Christian did come. He was as much an outsider among these people as I was. Suddenly it all made sense why he didn't want to come.

 ** _Thanks everyone for telling me my mistake so I could fix it up. Sorry it took me so long to edit it, I was on hollidays and couldnt get online to change it. just quickly i wanted to let everyone know anout the new fanfiction app. it is amazing and you can download any stopy and read it offline wherever you are. i love it and i recomend it to anyone using this site. thanks for following this story and i hope you like it and where it is going. i will be updating more because i have written alot of chapters and am eager to publish them. please review if i make anymore mistakes or just let me know what you think. xx_**


	13. Chapter 13

The food was tiny. Nowhere near enough to keep me satisfied but enough for Moroi. Moroi can eat human food but after drinking blood they rarely have room for it so they have only small portions of food. I could never survive as a Moroi. After dinner, everyone made their own way around the ballroom either talking or dancing. I stayed off to the side careful not to draw any attention to myself.

The queen sat on her throne at the top of the room surrounded by servers and other royals. I doubt she would even notice me if I were in the centre of the floor. I leaned back and thought about what happened with Mason. I felt horrible. I didn't want to lead him on and I honestly did try but, when it came down to it, it just didn't feel right. As he kissed me I wasn't picturing him kissing me. It was always someone else and until I dealt with those feelings it wasn't fair, to Mason or myself. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice someone approaching me until they spoke.

"Hey," said a voice and I jumped in surprise. "Wow. Minus one guardian point."

"What do you want Adrian?" I asked once I had recovered from my jump scare.

"That's not a nice way to talk to your friends. I haven't seen you since the party I just wanted to see how you were going," he said in a gentle voice.

"I am much better thank you. A lot more sober, which is more than I can say for you," I said gesturing to the almost empty Champaign glass in his hand. "What is that? Your fifth?" I asked sarcastically.

"Seventh actually, but I'm glad you're keeping track," he said and knocked back the last of the golden liquid. "When do they start breaking off the strong stuff?" he asked placing his empty glass on the statue beside me.

"I don't know. Probably after you leave. They wouldn't want you to skull all their expensive brandy now would they," I said mockingly.

"Nah. They would probably give me the funnel. I'm the entertainment at these things," he said and for some reason, that comment annoyed me.

"And that doesn't bother you?" I asked.

"Not really I'm used to it. I did one thing two years ago at one of these parties and suddenly my reputation of a drunken player was made for me and, after a couple years of being called that, I became it." I knew of his reputation that why I was wary around him but he was nice and he did help me so I owed it to him to be nice.

"I'm sorry Adrian," I said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry?" she said taking his hand off his shoulder and placing it back down by my side. "You shouldn't be. I did this to myself. The last thing I want is to get you a bad reputation," he said and I nodded.

"Well I'm starting to get bored and Lissa Promised me that I could leave when I got bored. Goodbye Adrian," I said.

"Goodbye little dhampir," he said and smirked. I rolled my eyes and walked off. I had to find Liss first to tell her I am leaving. The last time I saw her she was talking to one of the Drozdov lords. I made my way across the ballroom but I didn't make it to Lissa before someone grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the ballroom.

"What are you doing here?" a voice whisper yelled at me. once my shock had vanished I turned to see who it was.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Rose, what were you thinking?" she asked sounding annoyed.

"Well, Lissa said Christian couldn't come and invited me," I said getting confused.

"And you didn't think that was dangerous. If you were caught it would be over for you," she said.

"Were wearing masks," I argued and gestured to the one on my face.

"And yet I recognised you and so did Adrian Ivashkov," she snapped back.

"That's because you both know me well enough to recognise me even in this," I argued.

"Even if you had died your hair and changed yourself entirely I would know it was you. How? Because everyone knows ex-alchemist Rose Hathaway is best friends with Vasilissa Dragomir. Maybe they won't know the difference at first but once they put it together that you are a dhampir at this party and Lissa's best friend is a dhampir and was an alchemist they will know who you are." I was stunned. She was right. It wasn't too hard to figure out who I was even if I had the mask on. I didn't know what to say. "God Rose, how could you be so stupid?" she asked and looked more worried than angry.

"I wasn't thinking. I was going to leave anyway," I said.

"Well you had better go now before anyone else decides to leave," she said.

"I just have to go tell Lissa," I said and turned to go back into the ballroom but she pulled my arm and turned me back to her.

"No. I will go find and tell the princess that you have left," she said and started pushing me away from the door. "Go now and don't get caught." I nodded and ran off.

How could I have done that? I had never done anything in my life without thinking through every outcome first. This was a reckless move. I was loosing my alchemist training and turning more into a rebellious teenager. Not that that is a bad thing, it's just not the right time. The time to be rebellious is in your mid-teens not when you are about to turn eighteen and graduate to become a guardian and have someone else's life in my hands. I need to get serious no matter what others say about me being too serious. No matter how much Lissa begs me to have fun.

I will be focused and I will not give in. Dimitri was right it was peer pressure. I had never been in that situation before. All alchemists knew their duty and no one bothered to get involved with alcohol or drugs, apart from coffee. I wasn't ready to go back to my room yet. It was too early for sleep and besides, I had a lot of hours stored up from my sleep in this morning and when I cried myself t sleep after the fight with Mason. I made my way back to the balcony that I had been on with Dimitri not too long ago. Where he told me I had to hide away from most royals including the queen. Look where that talk led me. I almost gave myself away after all he has done to protect me.

More snow covered the railing and box. I pushed the snow off the box and sat down. The cold wind hit my bare shoulders but it didn't make me feel cold, it made me relax. I took a few deep breaths and took off the mask. Everyone had the same mask. Simple black with lace trimming around the outside, glitter swirls decorated the entire mask and black fake diamonds stuck in each corner of the eyes. I sighed looking down at it in my hands. It was quiet here apart from the occasional howl of the wind. I focused my guardian hearing and heard birds calling from in the woods. I could hear the sounds of the ski lodge shutting off, the music from the ball, the laughing and the footsteps approaching me. I came back to reality just as the door opened and I saw Dimitri once again. He gave me a sad expression as he came and sat down beside me.

"Took me a while to find you," he said brushing the snow beside him. "I didn't see you leave the party but once I saw your mother talking to Vasilissa I knew you had left."

"You were there?" I asked. He nodded. "I didn't even see you there."

"Well I saw you," he said and I sighed.

"Don't worry comrade I have already had this talk with my mother. I know it was a stupid and reckless thing to do," I said.

"I know you were just going as a friend for the princess but you know the consequences right?" he asked.

"Yes, I do now. I'm madder at myself than anything. I used to be great at assessing the situation and evaluating every possibility to make sure I didn't make a mistake. I'm losing my touch," I said.

"Roza it's normal to make mistakes," he said.

"Mistake is Human, and I am not human. I can't afford to make any mistakes," I said.

"You're so brave and strong but even you haven't learnt everything yet. You are not a guardian yet and no one is expecting you to think like one," he said.

"I do," I argued. "Just tell me, Dimitri," I said after a momentary silence.

"Tell you what?" he asked.

"I know my mother didn't just pull me out of there because there was a possibility that I could be caught. There has to be a high chance or a risk that could blow my cover," I said and by the look in Dimitri's eyes, I knew I was right.

"It wasn't you. You were very good, blending in at dinner and sticking to the wall. You were being careful not to attract attention but you didn't go unnoticed," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean that people were looking at you. I saw them."

"You were spying on me?"

"I was looking out for you," he said and I gave a small smile. "Dhampir girls aren't usually guardians as you know. Instead, they are playthings for male Moroi. Things that they can sleep with, bite and never see again. You are very attractive and a dhampir. Their eyes were drawn to you the moment you entered the room. I saw them and so did your mother. I knew I couldn't let you out of my sight for if you were alone they would get you and they would discover whom you are. Your mother probably had the same idea that's why she got you out so quickly and told you to get out before they had a chance to get their hands on you," he explained. Once he finished I felt a shiver run up my spine but it wasn't from the cold. Dimitri noticed and peeled off his duster and wrapped it around my shoulders. I wanted to protest but the moment I was wrapped in the thick jacket and the smell of Dimitri flooded over me I shut my mouth.

"So what's going on in your life?" I asked changing the topic.

"Well apart from meetings, patrolling and looking after you and the other academy students… nothing much," he said shrugging.

"Nothing?" I asked knowing he was hiding something.

"Well, actually Tasha offered me a job. Guarding her," he said. I was stunned. My eyes widened. It wasn't that surprising I could tell she had a thing for him but I didn't know how deep her feelings were.

"Are you gonna take it?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "The princess would be better for me guarding wise but Tasha has no one and then there's the other part."

"Other part?" I asked. Dimitri gave me a look and I understood. "Oh." A relationship. I couldn't help but feel jealous. I loved him. I tried to hide it, I tried to forget about it, I tried to move on but I couldn't do it. This deal was better for him though. He would be with a Moroi, which meant he could actually be with her and she could give him a family. I couldn't. So I thought of that and pushed the next few words out of me because this was what was best for Dimitri and he deserved to be happy. At least one of us should be.

"You should take it," I forced out of me.

"What?" he asked.

"Tasha's offer. You should take it," I said. Each word felt like a knife stab to the heart.

"I didn't expect that. After all that has happened," he said.

"Yeah well. No matter how I feel about… us. This is a great opportunity for you. One that doesn't come often and I want you to be happy," I said and I meant it. It was silent for a while but I was happy just being beside him. I should savour this feeling while could. Eventually, Dmitri broke the silence.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I will live at court guarding Lissa probably with another guardian partner. I will get the job I live for and I will be safe from the alchemists clutches. Maybe one day I'll move on finding someone that will take my mind off you-" I would have continued on with the new future I saw for myself that now excluded Dimitri but he cut me off with a kiss. It was small and quick but enough to start a fire I didn't want to put out. Once we broke apart I smiled and continued with one final sentence. "But that doesn't seem likely." And with that, I pulled his lips back to mine. This kiss was much longer and deeper. His kiss awoke the dragon in my heart.

Mason Kissed sweet and soft. This kiss was deep and hungry and we both knew this might be our last chance to be together. We kept kissing for I don't know how long. Time was lost to me. His hands started on my waist and travelled up and down my body.

My hands dug into his hair holding him as close as possible to me. I wanted nothing more but to freeze this moment and live in it forever. How different things could have been for us. If I were really an alchemist, we would have had a chance. It would have been seen as taboo but at least we would have a chance to see what this would become. I know we will never have that chance but I knew I loved him and I probably always would. Eventually, I pulled away. I handed him back his coat and got ready to leave.

"Where are you going?" asked Dimitri.

"To break a heart," I answered and put the mask back on my face.


	14. Chapter 14

I didn't bother going back to my room. I had to do this while I had the courage. My heels clicked on the marble floor as I made my way down the corridor to Mason's room. I knocked on the down and immediately it opened but it wasn't Mason who opened it. It was Mason's roommate, Shane. He opened the door only wearing pajama bottoms and with a toothbrush in his mouth. When he saw me he pulled the toothbrush out and rushed to spit. He came back with a towel drying his mouth.

"Uh sorry Rose, I wasn't expecting you. Well obviously I wasn't or I would have put a shirt on but I thought you were Mason," he gushed but I didn't care. All I head was the last five words.

"Wait he isn't here?" I asked frantically.

"No, I haven't seen him all day. He said he would be with you all day and I didn't want to interrupt anything but he has never been this late," he rushed noticing my worried expression.

"No he left me hours ago," I said and sighed. Where could he have gone?

"Oh, that's strange. Did anything happen?" he asked and I nodded.

"We had a fight," I explained.

"Oh now it makes sense," he said and I shot him a look.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well if I know my boy Mason, and I do, he is probably off doing something to prove himself," he said.

"What would he do?" I asked again getting more frantic by the minute.

"He usually goes off, breaks a few rules, tries to show everyone that he is a good Guardian," explained Shane.

"He can't leave. There are guardians everywhere and where would he go?" I asked trying to put together all the pieces.

"There's always a way to get past guardians. After you have snuck out to get to a few parties you know how to do it," he said and I knew he was right. I had snuck out and hadn't been caught. It was easy if you knew how or had a Moroi who was good with compulsion. The only thing that was missing was where they would go but I already had an idea on that. Mason had heard the conversation with Dimitri and I. when I found him he was too close that he would be able to hear everything with his Dhampir hearing. He is going after the Strigoi to prove himself and I had to find him before they killed him.

I ran off without saying anything to Shane. I made it back to my room but I didn't have time to get changed. Instead, I grabbed my small few alchemy vials that I had brought with me including the special vial I had created when I had spare time. I tucked them into my bra and then I ran out down the hall to Christian's room. I knocked twice and he answered the second time. When he saw me he groaned.

"Look tell Lissa I'm sorry for taking all my anger out on her but I'm still not going to that party," he said and began to close the door but I jammed my foot to stop it.

"No Christian, this isn't about you," I said and he opened the door again. I explained everything as quickly as I could.

"So Mason's going to Spokane to hunt Strigoi?" he asked.

"Yes and I don't think he went alone," I said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"He needed a Moroi to compel the guardians to let him out and Mia seemed pretty determined to bring the murderers of her mother to justice," I explained.

"So Mia and Mason have gone hunting strigoi and you are going after them and need me to compel the Guardian to let you out," he said and I nodded. He caught on quick.

"Okay ill do it but only if you will take me with you," he said.

"What? No way it's too dangerous."

"If you don't I will go to Lissa and the guardians and they will stop you before you can get there and by then it might be too late," he said. I sighed knowing there was no way out of this.

"Come on then." We both ran down the hall to the main entryway.'

"Hey," said Christian to the guardian on duty.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" asked the guardian but his words were slurred slightly. He was the one they had compelled.

"Do you remember seeing two kids come by here?" asked Christian.

"Nope but I remember three kids. A blonde girl and two guys one with red hair and another with blonde hair " said the guardian. That was easy.

"Eddie must have gone with them as well," I said.

"What did they ask you to do?" asked Christian.

"To let them out and I did," he said.

"You are going to do the same thing for us," said Christian trying to do compulsion but failing.

"No I won't," said the guardian resisting Christian's compulsion.

"You will let us out," said Christian again. We were losing time and plan A was failing. It was time for plan B. I walked behind the guardian as Christian continued to try to compel him and picked up a candelabra and hit the guardian in the part of the head I knew wouldn't kill him but would keep him knocked out long enough for us to get far away.

"You just assaulted a guardian," exclaimed Christian.

"We were running out of time. I will deal with the consequences later. Lets go," I said and we hurried out.

Christian had enough money for a taxi to the bus stop and two tickets for the bus. The sun was starting to rise and I knew we had to be out of it before Christian was hit with the full blaze. Thankfully the bus was air-conditioned and the windows were tinted. It was a struggle to walk in the mermaid dress let alone run. On the bus, I tore off the skirt as clean as I could leaving only a tight-fitting slim dress that went down to the knee. It was a shame but I had no other option, as it was not practical for a rescue mission. I took a deep breath before I ripped the bottom of the skirt. I wish I had time to get dressed but I was used to running around in tight business outfits and heels.

"Wow Rose. I'm sorry if I lead you on or anything but I have a girlfriend. Ripping your clothes off won't work," said Christian jokingly. I laughed quietly.

"Keep it in your pants," I said and he smirked. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. Christian Slept silently beside me and with nothing better to do, I tried pulling myself into Lissa's head. It took me a few tries but eventually, I made it.

"Vasilissa I know you want to protect them but we need to know where they are," said Alberta. Lissa was in a room with Alberta, Dimitri, and my mother and they all looked worried.

"I told you I don't know. The last time I saw Rose was at the party and Guardian Hathaway told me she left early," she explained. She was worried for Christian, the others and me. She thought we all ran away together.

"I saw her after that. She looked sad and I saw her on the Balcony so I went to talk with her and after that, she seemed to be going back to her room," said Dimitri.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would they go hunting strigoi?" asked my mother.

"What about your bond?" asked Alberta.

"It's one way. She can come in my head but I can't go in hers," explained Lissa.

"The man at the bus station said he didn't see anyone of their description," said Dimitri. They must have changed shifts because the man at the bus station definitely saw me and even complimented my dress.

"They must have gone to Spokane," said my mother. "There is no other place they would go." I was pulled out when I felt a tap on my arm.

"Rose, I think we are here," said Christian. He was right I looked out the window and saw the plaza that the Strigoi was spotted at. We hopped off the bus and made our way inside the plaza.

"How are we going to find them?" asked Christian.

"I think I have an idea," I said as I spotted a bunch of teens sitting down at a table in the food court looking worn out and sorry for themselves. Christian followed my line of sight and we walked over to them.

"Well aren't you proud of yourselves," I said as we approached them.

"What are you doing here?" asked Mason.

"What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here," I retorted and he shut up. "God, what were you thinking. You could have been killed or captured or worse," I shouted.

"It's daytime," said Eddie.

"Doesn't matter if it's day or night when you are indoors. If there were still here they could get you. As long as you are indoors out of direct sunlight you aren't safe," I said.

"We didn't find any Strigoi," said Mia.

"Good," I said. "You got lucky."

"Hey, we did well. We found the tunnels," said Mason looking mad.

"You found them?" I asked.

"Yeah but they are empty," said Mason looking deflated.

"We should see them before we go," said Christian.

"No way," I snapped. "I'm not getting you into any more trouble then you already are. We are leaving now."

"You can't make us go back," said Mason.

"We are going. Come if you want," said Christian and they all walked off. I groaned.

"Son of a bitch," I muttered and followed them. I had to look after them and it was unlikely that they would find anything anyway.

"You had better have a plan," I said to Mason.

"We have silver stakes," said Mason. Fantastic, another thing to explain to the guardians. We made it to the tunnels and descended the slimy dirty stairs to the bottom. It was more of a narrow corridor than a tunnel. Fluorescent lights hung above lighting the small space.

"See nothing," said Mia but I wasn't convinced that this was nothing.

"What's down that way?" I asked.

"Nothing," said Eddie. "We'll show you." I followed Eddie and found the same thing as the other one, except for the block letters down the side of the wall:

D

M

B

C

O

T

D

V

L

D

Z

S

I

Some of the letters had a small _x_ next to them. There was something familiar about these letters but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Probably a janitor thing or maybe a gang tag," said Mia noticing my interest in the letters.

"Maybe,' I said running my hand over the wall. D. D for Dragomir. B for Badica, Z for Zeklos, I for Ivashkov… this was a list of royal families from smallest, Dragomir with only one member remaining, to Ivashkov, with the biggest family. The only one that didn't make sense was the M. I had never heard of a royal family beginning with M. Maybe that one was a mistake. The ones with the _x_ were the letter B and D. Badica and Drozdovs. The attacks. They were killing off royals.

"We need to get out of here," I said quickly.

"Why what's wrong?" asked Mia.

"I'll explain later we just need to go, now." they listened to me and followed me back out the way we came. The sun was still up, thank god. We mad our way back to the bus station but Mason said there was a shortcut. I knew it was a better idea to stay out in the open in direct sunlight but getting to the bus quick was the best move. We followed Mason down an alleyway and were about to come out when a black car pulled up in front of us. I fell into attack mode grabbing the stake out of eddies hand before he could react and charged at our assailants. The moment they left the car I knew they weren't Strigoi. They were human. I couldn't kill them. I fought them scraping them with the tip of the stake. It wouldn't burn them like it would a strigoi but it still cut them and drew blood. I finally managed to pin the one I was fighting to the brick wall but the other one had managed to sneak behind me while I was distracted and held Mia and Christian Hostage. He smiled viciously.

"Come with us and they don't get hurt," said the man. I highly doubted that. They wouldn't hurt them now if I did what they told me to do but what about when we got where they were taking us. Then they would be hurt for sure. Still if there was a chance we could escape I had to take it. We couldn't risk Moroi life. I dropped my stake in surrender and Mason followed suit. I had to take the chance. The man, I had moments ago held a stake to his throat, now took my arms behind my back and pushed me into the car. The other man kept a hold on Christian and Mia. Eddie and Mason were also restrained and followed me into the car. They placed plastic flexi cuffs on our wrists that kept us from any chance of escape. Now we were trapped.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey everyone, I know it has been a while since I have updated but I have had a lot going on with school and had some wifi problems. The good news is I have finished writing and have started thinking about the next book that this story needs. let me know if that's a good idea and I will be posting regularly with more than one chapter a day so enjoy these three new chapters and there are more coming soon. please review or PM any ideas or anything for the next book or mistakes in this story so I can try to fix them. thanks to all the people who are reading and reviewing on each chapter. you are all so sweet and make me excited to read my emails to see such nice comments. xxx**

The windows were black so I couldn't see where we were going or tell where we would end up. We were doomed but I had hope if only I could get to the vials hidden in my bra. We sat in an awkward silence. Mia was whimpering to her self and looking panicked. If only we had left when I said, no point of rubbing it in now, but we could have been on the bus halfway back to the lodge by now. We pulled up and the men opened the door I could see we were inside some sort of modern garage. We were shoved out and ushered into the house by the men.

With my wrists bound behind my back I had no option but to use my legs but it didn't matter because I was more confident with my kicks than my punches. I lashed out with my legs trying to hit anything I could I managed to kick the one holding me in the shin hard enough that his grip on me listened and I could wiggle myself free. Others came at me and I held them off the best I could, actually I was winning until the door opened and someone grabbed me from behind and pinned me against a brick wall.

I could feel the concrete scratching the bare skin on my back but that wasn't what made me tremble, it was the piercing red soulless eyes that stared deep into mine. I tried to look away but I just couldn't, there was something that was pulling me in and not letting me go.

"Now now. That's no way to behave. If you want to live that is," said the Strigoi. He was tall, but not as tall as Dimitri, with jet-black hair that went well with his chalky strigoi complexion.

He looked old, and with strigoi age comes strength. Around the red of his eyes, I could see a dark brown ring indicating his old natural eye color before he was changed. I knew I couldn't fight them. Not without a stake or any weapon, not with my hands bound and not with my legs alone.

Humans were easy, even new strigoi should be easy, but he was neither he was an old strigoi who has probably been drinking the blood of Moroi making himself stronger since before I was born.

"Isaiah," screeched another voice. He turned to look at her and I was pulled out of the trance. There in the doorway stood a smaller strigoi, I girl, with brown hair that had been decorated with unnatural highlights. He pale skin was a direct match for his that they could have been related, but no. That was just the Strigoi deathly white. Her fangs were bared and she hissed.

"We should kill them now," she snarled.

"Patience Elena. This bunch will be easy and besides, I like to play with my food," said Isaiah. Elena looked mad but stood down. It was obvious who was in charge but also obvious Elena didn't like being told what to do.

My guard came back around from being kicked and took should of me again. This time I didn't fight. We were taken downstairs to some sort of basement with a steel door. Chairs were set up around the room and we were restrained to them. My legs were bound as well after my little show of kicking they weren't taking any chances.

Isaiah and Elena came with us into the room. After we were bound Isaiah circled around behind us and lifted my hair, which sent shivers down my spine. He moaned in his throat and came over to where Mia was seated. She had tears rolling down her cheeks and Isaiah wiped one off with his finger and licked it.

"Delicious. Two Moroi and three un-promised Dhampirs," he said and I realized he was checking us for marks.

"We should finish them now," said Elena.

"No," snapped Isaiah. "As much as I am craving some dhampir blood right now. We have a deal and we have to wait for the others."

"Why wait they are just little school children. We have to kill them now before the school knows their missing and comes looking for them," she shouted but Isaiah ignored her.

"They are important. Look at these eyes," he said grabbing Christian by the chin and forcing him to look into Isaiah's eyes. "That blue that is only seen in the royal line. Maybe Badica or perhaps Zeklos but more likely Ozera," he said.

"Ozera," Christian answered strongly.

"Of course I see it now. I knew your parents." Isaiah was taunting him. Christian's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Yes, I knew Lucas and Moira."

"How do you know them?" asked Christian.

"I knew them after they were awakened. Their deaths were a shame but they brought it on themselves. I told them they shouldn't have gone back for you. There was no point. You were too young, if you were awakened at such a young age you would never grow to your full potential. Their idea was to keep you around until you were old enough and then awaken you. I warned them it was a disaster but they didn't listen and eventually they met their downfall," he said. Christian looked horrified. I was as well but kept the emotion off my face. Everyone had heard the story of the Ozera family. Christian was young when it happened but his parents willingly turned themselves strigoi and left Christian alone. They came back for him later but they didn't get him and instead they were both staked and killed right before baby Christian's eyes. He had always been hidden and alone and I understand why.

"What irony that years after their death trying to get you, you just happen to be brought to me and now you have come to an age where you can become a powerful strigoi," said Isaiah.

"No," said Christian defiantly.

"Shame. Lucky for you I am a patient person and I can wait for you to properly think it through," he said and backed away from Christian. "I'll give you time to think it through but it is your choice Ozera. Say yes and you will have your pick to drain any one of these three. Say no and none of you will ever walk out of here alive," he taunted.

"No," shouted Christian. "I won't kill my friends."

"We'll see if that is the same once you are starving. Easy to be brave when you aren't hungry."

"Try all you want but it won't work. I won't become my parents," said Christian.

"Come now don't be so stubborn. It's easy, let me show you," he said and walked towards me.

"You're a pretty one aren't you? And quite fierce, I like them feisty. And what's this?" he said rubbing my cheek. I gasped. The makeup must have started to rub off with the sweat. My tattoo was showing. Isaiah roared with laughter. "An Alchemist Tattoo. No, you are a dhampir not human and yet you wear the mark. Ah, I have heard of you. You are quite famous Rosemarie," he said.

"How do you know me?" I asked.

"I knew you the moment you were born. Even when your name was well known and then you disappeared and lived with the alchemists. Yes, I have heard of you recently Wrong Alchemist. You don't like feeding, do you? It's taboo. I'm sure you won't think that way after I take a bit out of you," he said and moved for my neck. I gasped with fear. My heart was pounding radically against my ribcage.

"No," cried out Mason. Isaiah stopped and looked at Mason. "Bite me not her," he said and I yelped out.

"No Mason." He ignored me.

"Interesting," said Isaiah. "You care about her. No, it's more than that, you love her and you will take the bite, for her."

"Go ahead," said Mason. "Do it."

"No, I don't think I will. You're too willing but don't worry I won't bite her," he said and I sighed in relief. "I'll bite him," he said and pointed to Eddie.

"No," we all cried out in protest.

"Yes biting you would only mean you would be dazed and don't know what is going on. I want you to be awake so you can watch as I bite your friend and he becomes more and more willing until he will be addicted and be begging me to bite him," he said and ignored our objections as he leaned into Eddie's neck and bit him. I closed my eyes and turned away. A sound of pain came from Eddie but was then followed by moans of pleasure. I heard that the bite from a Moroi is like a drug from the endorphins in their saliva. The high people get from the bite is so intense that they can become addicted. That is why feeders are so willing and why Bloodwhore's allow Moroi men to continue to visit them. A strigoi's bite was even more intense almost ten times the strength or a Moroi bite. The strigoi have often captured people and bitten them to the point where they would worship the ground at the strigoi's feel but they often don't live long enough to be slaves. Strigoi's loved to kill. For them biting and drinking blood was both food and fun were as biting for the Moroi was just sustenance.

Eddie releases another sound indicating it was over. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He had a goofy grin on his face and his eyes looked blank as he stared at the wall in front of him.

"It's that easy," Said Isaiah. "Make the choice soon. You even have one willing and another… who just doesn't know what she is missing," he said to me. With that, he walked out of the room but left two humans to guard us. Not like we could get away if we tried.

"Don't worry guys we will get out of here," I said.

"Shut up," ordered one of the guards.

I looked at Christian but he just sat frozen with shock. I looked at Mason and he looked at me. Though his eyes I could read so many silent messages but the one I saw most was guilt and regret. I shook my head. It wasn't his fault. We were safe in the mall it wasn't till I ordered everyone outside that the trouble started. I got us into this now I had to get us out of it.


	16. Chapter 16

"Little dhampir." A voice called out to me in the darkness. I turned around to try to find where the voice came from. "Little dhampir," came the voice again louder this time and more taunting. Again I looked around but all I saw was darkness.

"Rose," the voice, boomed and I turned around to find Adrian standing there in a white button-up shirt that was hanging open exposing his chest. I looked around as the darkness started to fade into white and transformed into a beach. The sand between my toes, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the wind tickling my neck was all so real which meant we were free.

"What happened?" I asked Adrian. "How did the guardians get us out?"

"Out?" he asked. "Out of where?"

"The house where the Strigoi held us hostage. It doesn't matter we are free. Where are the others?" I asked him looking around.

"Rose the guardians don't know where you are you aren't free yet," he said and my heart fell with my hope.

"Oh," I said and looked down. I was wearing a thin white sundress that visibly showed the bikini I wore at Adrian's party. This wasn't real.

"So this is all just a dream," I said and sighed.

"Maybe but dreams can show truths. You need to tell me where you are Rose you are starting to wake up," he said.

"What do you mean? How would telling a dream where I am help?" I asked getting confused.

"Little dhampir we don't have time you are starting to wake up. Tell me where you are," he ordered and I for some reason I felt the need to tell him everything.

"I don't know where exactly. Near the mall, that's where they took us, we are locked in a house with two strigoi. All I could see was that there weren't any other houses nearby so it is alone," I explained. He looked like he was taking all the information and he smiled. The darkness started to come back and the beach and feeling of warmth from the sunshine started fading.

"Don't worry little dhampir we are coming for you just hold on," he said as everything finished fading back to black and my eyes shot open.

"Finally girly," said one of the human guards. "We were worried we had lost you there for a second and that we would lose the leverage with this lot," he sneered and I scowled at him. We had been locked in this place for a couple of days now and we were all weary. They gave us all enough water so we wouldn't die but left Christian and Mia without any blood and us dhampirs without any food. I could feel my body losing strength and energy so we had to find a way to get out soon. A plan was forming in my mind but it wouldn't work alone, I had to find a way to talk to the others in a way that the humans wouldn't notice. Isaiah and Elena came at least twice each day to taunt Christian and drink from Eddie to make it even more excruciating for the Moroi. I looked at Christian; he looked exhausted with dark rings around his eyes. I felt awful for bringing him with me but then again it wasn't like he gave me much of a choice. The time was now if I didn't try to get them out now we would never be free. I hung my head down and let my hair cover my head as my mouth went for my bra where my chemicals were stored. My teeth touched one of the small glass bottles but it was still hard to reach. I hunched my shoulders pushing up my bra until I could reach it but I didn't take it out, not yet. I groaned as if in pain and moved my head back up.

"Seriously," I started. "Can you loosen these cuffs a little I mean I am losing circulation in my wrists from how tight these things are," I said. The others looked at me like I was insane.

"Quite," ordered one of the men but I ignored him.

"Honestly my wrists are _burning_ from where the cuffs are digging in," I said exaggerating the word burning and looking directly into Christian's eyes.

"He said be quiet," said the other man but again I ignored him.

"My wrists are on _fire,_ " I said looking at Christian as I said those words. One of my men kicked my shin hard whee it was bruised from the last time it was hit. I grimaced at the pain that flared up but held back my screams. That was my last chance. If he didn't get it we had no hope. Once I had recovered I looked over at Christian. A strange expression was on his face as he looked at me almost knowingly. The men went back to sitting down and talking amongst themselves. I gave up trying it was over. Suddenly I picked up a strange smell in the room. I looked at Christian and saw the smoke coming from behind him. I was worried for a minute that the men would have picked it up but my dhampir senses were stronger than their human ones so they couldn't pick it up. The smell got stronger as Christian burned his cuffs. The men stopped talking and turned to where the burning was coming from.

"Do you smell that?" asked one of them and they both stood up. Now was my chance. I bent down and picked the small glass vial from my bra and threw it as hard as I could at the men's feet. A purple glass erupted into the air and into the men's faces. After a few seconds of coughing and gasping, they fell to the floor.

"Hold your breath," I told the others and they took a deep breath and held it in until the glass had disappeared. Eddie was the only one who didn't. He was too out of it from the last time Isaiah bit him. He was knocked out cold with the other men.

"What was that?" asked Mason as Christian broke free from his cuffs. He grabbed a Swiss army knife from one of the men and came over to free my wrists.

"A small but very effective knockout gas made by alchemists. It will keep them down for about an hour max so we need to move," I said as Christian cut me free. Once my

wrists were free I worked on my feet. Christian freed Mason, Mia, and Eddie, who slumped to the ground.

"What about Eddie?" asked Mason helping him back to his chair.

"He will probably wake up in about ten minutes because the gas wasn't as close to him and because he is a dhampir it won't be as effective on him," I explained.

"So what do we do?" asked Christian.

"For now we stay," I said. They all argued with me but quietly. "Listen, if we go out there the Strigoi will get us before we can get to the door," I explained and the others nodded in understanding.

"What's the plan?" asked Mia who had been quiet until now.

"Move the men behind the door so they cant be seen and then go back to your chairs Isaiah is scheduled to come soon so we need to be quick," I said.

"How do you know that?" asked Christian.

"Because the guards recently changed shifts with others and that only happens twice a day, one for the day and one for the night. Isaiah always comes twice a day and it is usually about halfway through. He hasn't come yet so he will be here soon," I said. I felt like a real leader now. They looked at me for a plan and for instructions. They all did as I asked and moved the men to behind the door and under the desk so they were out of sight. Eddie was awake now but still out of it entirely. We all sat back in our chairs and pretended to still be bound. I pulled out the special vial I had hidden that had a gold liquid inside. The liquid was glowing in the dark room. I opened the bottle and poured a small part of the liquid on each of the heels of my shoes.

"What's that?" asked Mason.

" A last resort that may save our lives," I said and he didn't push for deeper answers. Again we went back to our fake hostage look. We didn't have to wait long before Isaiah walked in with Elena behind him. He smiled when he saw us in our weakened state. He looked around the room with his eyes and sighed.

"Those idiots. I told them to stay on guard at all times. No matter it's not like you could get away. Have you made a decision yet," he said to Christian.

"Yes. As I have said once and will continue to say I will not join you ever," Christian Spat and Isaiah roared with fury.

"Fine times up," he said and came towards me. Without any hesitation, I kicked one leg up and stabbed him in the chest with my stiletto heel. He cried out in agony and crumpled to the ground. Elena gaped at me for a second but that changed quickly and she came at me. I stood up and fought her. She was easier than Isaiah was to fight because she was new. Still, I was weak and wouldn't last long fighting against her. I lashed out and kicked her but she defended but she didn't see my other leg as I kicked and hit her directly in her heart. She froze and collapsed to her knees before crumpling to the ground. I slid off my shoe and left it in her chest.

"Come on let's go," I ordered the others but they all looked shocked at what I had just done. "Come on," I said louder and they responded. Mason supported Eddie and we ran out the room. Up the stairs, we went the house looked empty but we knew there were other human helpers in here somewhere so we kept our volume down.

We had made it upstairs to the living room when the other two humans came out and attacked us. Mason and I fought them as the others continued.

"Go outside," I ordered as we continued to fight. They obeyed and left the house into the safety of sunlight. Once the humans were down we started to run for the exit but something pulled me back by my shoulder. It was Isaiah; I knew it wasn't deep enough. Isaiah held me by my neck in the air. I gasped for air but couldn't get any. His eyes held a fury that scared me to my core. Suddenly I was released to me and dropped to my knees. I gasped and looked up to see Mason fighting Isaiah. He was fighting well but you could tell he was exhausted and wouldn't be able to fight off someone like Isaiah. Just as I got to my feet to help Isaiah grabbed Mason by the neck and twisted quickly until there was a sickening crack and Mason dropped to the ground. I collapsed to my knees again and shook Mason as I cried.

"Mason No. No, no. No Mason don't leave me," I cried but it was too late.

"Shame he would have made a good Strigoi," said Isaiah sounding pleased with himself. "If only you all made the right choice." That was it. Anger built up in me from deep down in a place I didn't know existed. I lashed out at him but he slapped me across the face sending me running into the wall. I hit my head but that wasn't going to stop me. I summoned up all the strength in my body and remembered Dimitri's lessons. Don't hesitate. I reached into my bra and brought out another chemical. An acid that decomposed Strigoi bodies when after they were killed. It wouldn't kill him but it would hurt for a couple of minutes, which was all I needed. I threw it and he screamed out. I bolted to the living room and pulled off one of the antique swords from the wall.

When I got back to Isaiah he was still screaming but recovering quickly. Before he had finished recovering I swiped the sword hard against his chest. It was a deep wound but wouldn't kill a strigoi. I swiped again and again until blood stained him entirely still he wasn't dead, he would heal quickly and come back stronger. I kept swiping and swiping. With each swipe, he took a step back until he tripped over Mason's body and fell to the ground. Before he had a chance to stand up I was on him and swiped against his throat again and again and again. I kept swiping with my eyes closed remembering when he killed Mason and the sound of the killing crack. Again and again, I swiped until I felt there was nothing left to cut. His head was detached from his body with evil red eyes staring up at me in horror.

I got off him and went to masons side. He looked like he could be sleeping not dead but I knew the truth. I closed his brown eyes and lay my head on his chest where his heart used to beat and cried. I hoped the others were safe but at this point, I couldn't move. The guardians should be here soon and I wouldn't leave Mason until they were here. I would protect him. I must have fallen asleep because a hand on the bare skin of my should where Isaiah grabbed me jolted me up. I snapped up to the intruder quickly sword in hand to see whom it was. To me, they were all blurry images but I knew that voice.

"Roza," that voice that I knew so well called. "It's okay your safe."

"Get away from us," I said holding up the sword covered in dark think blood.

"Roza calm down you are safe I'm here," said the voice and my vision returned to normal to meet Dimitri's gorgeous dark brown eyes. I panted as tears welled up again. I threw the sword to the ground and wrapped my arms around him crying heavily.

"I… I couldn't leave him," I said as I cried.

"I know. You did well. You're safe," said Dimitri as he comforted me.

"She did that?" asked a guardian.

"The sword hasn't been sharpened in years," said another.

"There's another one in the room downstairs. Dead with a stiletto heel to the heart," said Alberta with the shoe in her hand.

"Dead?" the first guardian asked.

"It's tattoo Ink," said a vice and it took me a while to realize it came from me. I pulled out the vial and gave it to Dimitri. "Alchemist tattoo ink with silver stake flecks." Dimitri studied the vial and then handed it to Alberta.

"Get her out of here Belikov," said my mother. I didn't even know she was here.

"Come on Rose," he said pulling me to my feet but my legs wobbled and I would have fallen back down if Dimitri hadn't caught me.

"No sir, you can't be in here," said a voice from behind.

"Yes I can, I have a right," said a familiar voice.

"What right do you have?" asked the first voice. I looked over Dimitri's shoulder to see a guardian at the door guardian Abe and keeping him out of the house. I met Abe's eyes and he gave me a longing look as he said the next sentence.

"I'm her father," he said and I gasped. Abe was my father. My mom and I were the ones he was talking to Adrian about. I was the snake's daughter.

"Oh no," I gasped and faded into darkness


	17. Chapter 17

It's been twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours since I had been free of the Strigoi. Twenty-four hours since one of my best friends was killed. Twenty-four hours since I had finally found whom my father is. Twenty-four hours since I had discovered I was a princess. The last twenty-four hours played on and on in my head. My father, Abe Mazur of all people, crashed through the doors and held me in his arms. Everything felt so much longer than it was almost like a year could have passed in those twenty-four hours. We were rushed out of the house and taken straight to the airport. Apparently, all our belongings were packed and ready.

I felt numb. Like my body had shut down and I felt nothing not even the cold winter air on my bare skin where my dress didn't cover. Once on the plane, I found Mia and Christian sitting at the back and I raced to join them. Mia met me for a hug and we both cried into each other. I sat between them and for the first time ever I wanted I felt like these two people were the only people I wanted to see right now. I even willingly hugged Christian. They told me the guardians took Eddie away earlier to get the endorphins out of his system. I know when he comes back to normal he won't forgive himself.

The three of us sat together with me in the middle and tightly held onto each other. Within an hour into the plane rise, they went limp and passed out from exhaustion. They were Moroi who had been away almost a full day. My dhampir body allowed me to stay up for the hours I had stored. I carefully stood up letting go of their hands so I wouldn't wake them and walked over to an empty seat. Someone came over to me and draped a blanket over my shoulders. I looked up and say Dimitri standing there with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Thanks," I started quietly. "But I'm not cold."

"That's not what the shivering and Goosebumps on your arms say," she says and I took the blanket wrapping it around me knowing it wasn't worth fighting over. He sat in the chair beside me and I did my best at putting on a guardian mask to hide my emotions but it didn't work with him. He could see through it instantly.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm not injured," I stated simply.

"I didn't mean physically," he said. I thought for a moment of what I could say that would make him believe me but I couldn't lie to him so I took a deep breath.

"I don't know," I said with tears building up in my eyes.

"Oh Roza," he whispered and pulled me into him. I closed my eyes and let go of the walls I had built to hide my pain and just let the tears flow. I cried into Dimitri's shoulder probably ruining his shirt but he didn't seem to care.

"You will get through this," he whispered quietly into my hair as he stroked the ends. It was a risk but everyone else was asleep and I needed him.

"How?" I asked through sobs.

"Because you are strong. You are so strong and you will find a way to move on." He sounded so sure of me. He has so much faith in me and I almost felt scared that I couldn't live up to his expectations but I knew I would as long as I had him to help me.

After that I must have passed out because bump of the plane landing woke me up. I sat up and looked around. Everyone else was up and awake. Mia and Christian still looked exhausted and were probably starving. There were given a little blood when we were found but they still had been left dry for too long it was probably driving them crazy. We left the plane and I went to my room to shower and change out of the once beautiful but now ruined dress. All the other students were coming back tomorrow so we were almost alone at the academy. After I got dressed I could feel my stomach was twisting, Probably hunger, but I didn't want to leave my room. I lay back on my small bed and pulled myself into Lissa's head. She was pacing as Adrian in front of her.

"The guardians said they got out," said Adrian trying to calm her down.

"They also said there was an accident. They didn't say what but I have a bad feeling. What if something was wrong with Rose or Christian and I cant heal them," she argued back. She was worried about Christian and me but she didn't know that it wasn't us who got hurt. I found out that she and the others were staying there for the rest of the night and would be flying when the sun comes up so there could be no more strigoi incidents. I pulled myself out after that and brought myself back to hear a knocking at my door. I slid off my bed and answered it expecting it to be Mia or Christian but it wasn't, it was Dimitri.

"You are being called down to the common room," he said with authority in his voice.

"What for?" I asked.

"I think it is best you come and don't ask questions," he said and I sighed before nodding and following him to the common room.

I opened the doors and found Abe sitting on one of the vintage sofas in front of the fire. Dimitri closed the doors behind me but stayed in the room over to the side like a guardian watching their Moroi charge would. I walked over and sat on the couch furthest from him.

"I know this must be a shock for you," started Abe not looking at me.

"You could say that," I said with arms folded across my chest.

"I just want to talk and explain," he said almost begging.

"Than talk," I said and crossed my legs sitting back into the plush worn leather. The fire crackled in the silence and I suspected he was trying to think where to start.

"There was once a guardian," he started at last. "She went to an academy just like this one and what she wanted more than anything was to be a good guardian. She graduated at the top of her class and was given the honor of guardian a young prince, the last of his name like Vasilissa. His parents were gone when he was young and the queen at that time treated him like the son she could never have, she even named him as her successor in her death. the prince grew up respecting the guardians around him seeing them as people, not property as other Moroi did. He treated his new guardian with respect and they got along very well and quickly became friends. One night they attended a ball together where they were both kidnapped and held hostage by Strigoi. she managed to kill them and get them both free but after that night they could no longer deny that they were in love," he said but I cut in.

"I'm sorry but what does this have to do with anything?"

"Just listen," he said and continued. "They hid their relationship but when she got pregnant she resigned as his guardian and they got married. The rest of the Moroi world was mortified at this act that a royal could marry a Dhampir and have a child with them. There were outbreaks and attacks on them but the Queen protected them even though she did not agree with his decision she supported him. Their child was born, a healthy baby girl but that only made people angrier. As people started to riot the prince and his wife grew scared of what they would do with their child if they could. They knew they could never be safe so they ran. For a while they managed to live in a small apartment hidden away but when the queen died guardians were sent out to find and kill the child because there could be no dhampir heir to the new king. The guardians obeyed because they thought the child would just be moved away but they couldn't let her live. If she were brought to court they would kill her and make it look like a tragic accident. They found them and the guardian stayed to distract them while the prince and his young baby girl fled into the night. He managed to leave her with a friend to look after the baby and raise her. He hated to let her go but he couldn't let the others find him so he said goodbye and left to hand himself in. he told them the child was not his but they didn't believe it. After that, they stripped him of all his titles leaving only twelve royal families instead of thirteen and a new law was passed stating that to have a seat on the council you must have at least one other family member. And he was sent away from his wife and child never to see them again." by the time he was finished I could feel tears in my eyes. Everything clicked into place. I finally know the truth.

"The Guardian was my Mom?" He nodded. "You were the prince?" he nodded. "That means I am the baby. That means I am a-"

-"A princess," he finished and my jaw dropped. I was on the edge of my seat now close to falling off. The M on the wall was for Mazur, Abe's last name. My Fathers last name. My last name. The lost royal family.

"So you are king?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No, I was stripped of all my titles, I'm not even a lord. But none of your titles were stripped," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked sounding confused.

"They can take away titles but that means it goes to the next person in the family. That's why they wanted to kill you, but here you are alive with and my only child so you are given my title. You are the Mazur Princess," he said. I didn't think my jaw could drop anymore but when he said that I swear it hit the floor. Oh my god. How does this happen? How does someone god from Human to the alchemist to dhampir to guardian to royal to princess. It doesn't happen and yet it did to me. I hated to believe it but it made sense. I started to panic. My breathing was quick and uneven as my heart rate sped up rapidly.

"Rose? Rose calm down talk to me," said Abe. I couldn't calm down this was too much.

"What happened to mom?" I demanded ad my heart pounded against my ribcage.

"She was brought in before me. They compelled her to forget about ever loving me. She remembered she had you but they took away all her memories of loving you and she was placed far away to guard a Szelzky lord," he told me.

"Have you told her any of this?" I asked.

"No. Even if I could I doubt she would remember who I am or believe anything I say."

"You need to tell her. I need her to hear everything you have told me," I ordered starting to really sound like a princess.

"I will. I promise," he said and I nodded before walking out without saying anything.

Now I stormed my way down the corridor. Dimitri followed stealthily behind me but I knew he was there. I went to the schools Gym and punched the closest punching bag as hard as I could. I kept going taking all my anger, sorrow and frustration of the bag hanging in front of me. Good thing it was a bag, not a person.

"Keep doing that without gloves and you'll split your knuckle," said Dimitri. I took a deep breath. He held a pair of gloves and held them out for me. I took them and slid them onto my hands and went back to the punching bag.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Dimitri.

"Nope. I'd rather keep punching," I said through hits.

"Okay why not do it on something that can punch back," he said and I turned to look at him ready and standing on the mat with gloves ready. I ran over to him starting on offence.

"I don't know how you are feeling right now," he started.

"Really? I thought I was making it pretty clear that I'm pissed."

"What I mean is I would like you to tell me what you are really feeling about all that. You were just given a truck load of new information that changes your life."

"How can you be so calm?" I asked pausing for a minute.

"Years of practice," he said and lead me over to a bench on the side. "Now tell me."

"I'm just angry that he didn't tell me when he first saw me. When he saw me he knew I could see recognition in his eyes. He waited so long to tell me then when he does he tells me I'm a princess," I explain.

"You are a princess."

"No. I'm. Not." I shouted and stopped punching. "Royals have kids with Dhampirs all the time and none of them are royal," I argued.

"But they weren't married, they weren't legitimate children and they aren't the only one left with the name. You are the only one left in that family that can have the title. Unless Abe Marries a Moroi and has a Moroi child you are the only one left who can carry the name. if you don't another royal family disappears and that a win for the strigoi," he said. I gritted my teeth at the last sentence. I wouldn't let the Moroi win. Not after what they did.

"But I don't want to be a princess. I just found out I was a dhampir I cant be a princess as well," I said. I could hear the desperation in my voice.

"I understand Rose and it's your choice. Ibrahim wants to take you to court with him to talk to the queen about what happened. You can choose to go or not," said Dimitri in a serious tone.

"What do you think I should do?" I asked.

"Go to court with your father and hear the queens proposal. Talk and discuss terms that suit you and then you can make up your mind," he said. He sounded so reasonable how could I fight him and his logic?

"When do we leave?" I asked and he gave me a small smile.

"Tomorrow night."


	18. Chapter 18

The next day Dimitri and I headed to the academy's landing strip just as the plane came in. It was warmer today with the sun out but still was the middle of winter. Luckily I had my thick coat that kept me warm. The wind blew my hair that I had put so much effort into out of place. I tugged at the skirt of my navy blue pencil dress until it sat right above my knee. The dress was one from my alchemist days. It was now a lot tighter but I managed to squeeze into it. I needed to look proper and mature for meeting with the queen. It felt weird to be in my old business clothes with hair and makeup done. I felt much taller with my heals on but still nothing on Dimitri's height.

The plane's engine slowed and eventually came to a stop. The door opened and Headmistress Kirova led the flood of students down the stairs. I felt her happiness when she saw me but I still couldn't see her. Out of nowhere I saw a figure in white push through the crowd and run straight towards me faster than I have ever seen any Moroi run. I met her for a hug and she wrapped her arms around me squeezing me tight.

"You're alright," she said to no one in particular and pulled back to look at me. "I was so worried. Where's Christian? Is he alright?" she asked rapidly.

"He's fine. He would probably be in his room right now as it is Moroi night time, I don't think he will be asleep though," I finished solemnly. Lissa released a breath of relief knowing that we were okay. Someone would have to tell her what happened soon.

"What are you wearing?" she asked stepping back to look at me. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, well I have to go to court," I said hesitantly knowing she would overreact.

"What? Why?"

"I can't explain right now. We are leaving right now," I said and she looked shocked.

"I'll come with you," she protested.

"I'm sorry but I have to go alone. Queens orders," I said muttering the last part. "Besides, Christian needs you right now."

"So do you. You can put on that brave face but I can see you are hurting Rose," she said. Her tone suggested there was no way I could lie my way out of this.

"You don't even need a bond," I said and gave her a small smile. "I promise I will be back soon. There's just something I need to do." This time there was no argument. I gave her one last hug and Dimitri and I made our way to the plane. Abe was already there. I had a bag packed for a couple days. Who knew how long I would be there.

Once in the air I kicked off my heels and sat back in the seat thinking about how this meeting would go. We hadn't told anyone that we were coming just that Abe needed a meeting with the queen so there was no way the alchemists would know I was coming. My head was still reeling with questions but I didn't want to ask anyone anything so instead, I tried to answer them myself.

'Why would Abe leave me with the alchemists?'

'Because He knew the guardians would never come looking for me there.'

'How could I be a princess?'

'I am the only child of Abe Mazur. He had lost his title of prince so it goes to me. Unless Abe has a Moroi child out there somewhere.'

'Do I want this?'

'I want my real family. I want the life that was intended for me. I want a say in what happens at court. But I want to be a guardian for my best friend. I can't be a guardian and a princess. It's the guardian who protects the princess. If I choose to become the Mazur princess I would probably have my own guardian. I don't want to be helpless.'

I never wanted to helpless. I always wanted to be strong and fight my own battles. So in my head, I thought of my terms. Once the plane landed we were ushered off and given our rooms. My room was right between Abe and Dimitri's.

If I thought the ski lodge was luxurious this was fit for a queen. Just a guest room but the bed was triple the size of my bed at the academy. Gold curtains embroidered with silver flowers hind on both sides of the windows. A black leather couch sat in front of the bed facing a wide flat screen TV. Last time I was around something this luxurious I was so excited. Now, all I felt was fear. I moved and placed my suitcase beside the bed and took a seat on the edge of it. My hand rubbed the golden material feeling the smooth silk and longed to get in and go to sleep. When we arrived it was early in the vampire morning. Dimitri had told me I could get a couple hours sleep before we would meet for breakfast and from there we would meet the queen. Even my dhampir body couldn't keep me awake forever. My mind was racing and I doubted I would get any sleep but I needed to try. Just a few hours would help. I pulled back the blanket and slid into the bed still wearing my dress. Even with my racing thoughts, I passed out the instant my head hit the soft pillow.

It didn't feel like a couple of hours but the sound of someone knocking on my door waked me up. I sighed and hopped out of bed. Quickly I ran my fingers through my hair trying to make myself look somewhat presentable. Dimitri stood there and looked at my face. My guess was I looked like I had just crawled out of hell. He told me to get ready and meet them in half an hour. I made my way to the bathroom and jumped when I saw my reflection. My lipstick had smudged down my cheek and chin. My mascara and eyeliner were smudged making me look like a cacoon. My hair still looked like a birds nest that no amount of brushing with my fingers could untangle. I washed my face and reapplied my makeup this time more natural with only concealer a little mascara and my favorite lip gloss.

I decided to change my dress as this one had been crinkled from being slept in even if it wasn't too long. Now I was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a red ruffle blouse with my hair in a low bun and low black heels. I made my way down the hallway to the café Dimitri had pointed out on the way here. I sat down with Dimitri who was dressed in the guardian attire of black slacks, white button-down shirt, and black jacket. Abe was a little more dressed up wearing an avocado green suit with a daisy yellow tie and a paisley handkerchief sticking out of his jacket pocket. His hair was gelled back making him look younger than he usually did. I ordered a croissant but didn't feel like eating with my nerves. Dimitri shot me a hard look and I rolled my eyes and forced myself to eat. He wasn't watching as much now but he still liked to look after me. We made our way to a room. Abe led the way and Dimitri followed behind me.

Abe knocked on the door and it opened revealing her royal majesty sitting on her throne. We walked in and Abe bowed. I followed his lead and when we came up the queen began.

"Ibrahim, what is the reason for calling this meeting?" she asked. "If I remember correctly you were banished from court.

"Your majesty. You remember Rosemarie," said Abe gesturing to me beside him. "Allow me to introduce you to Rosemarie Mazur. My daughter."


	19. Chapter 19

"What?" was the only thing she could say. I flinched at her the volume of her voice.

"My daughter," Repeated Abe.

"We went looking for her and found nothing. The guardians told me she had died," said Tatiana.

"I lied to the guardians telling them she wasn't my daughter but they knew. Some of them had known Janine for years and knew the truth. They probably made up that lie because they didn't want to see one of their own murdered in cold blood," Spat Abe. His words held so much rage that I almost saw him as the snake with venom spitting from his lips.

"That was not my orders. I wasn't queen then, you were the king," she said standing up and walked towards us. For a queen, she was dressed pretty casually wearing a business look similar to mine. "The council voted and decided that once the child was brought in, the new monarch would decide what would happen to them."

"Well clearly that would never happen. With all due respect your majesty, the council is not known for their compassion. They would have made this deal and made sure my daughter never made it to court for that chance," said Abe. His words hit me hard but I kept my mouth shut and listened.

"How could you know that for sure?" she asked. Abe paused for a moment.

"I grew up with them," he stated.

"Who else knows?" she asked and nodded in my direction.

"Only the people in this room," Abe responded. Tatiana nodded.

"Can I have a moment alone with Rose?" she asked.

"Of course, your majesty," said Abe and gave a low bow before turning and walking out. Dimitri moved and stood next to the wall like a guardian would.

"Completely alone?" asked Tatiana again looking at Dimitri. For the first time ever, Dimitri hesitated. "Don't worry. I won't hurt her and you can stand right outside the door." Dimitri nodded and walked out but instead of bowing like Abe he gave a low head nod. Once the doors were shut Tatiana moved and sat down at a long wooden table. She patted the one next to her and I walked over to take a seat beside her. I felt so out of place and awkward. I didn't know what to say so I stayed quiet and waited for Tatiana to start.

"I remember the last time you were here," she stated. "It was in this very room. We listened to everyone argue reasons to keep you. I'm glad the alchemists didn't. I know the things they do to their own kind who are tainted and I couldn't imagine what they would do to you. I also didn't believe you could catch up to the others in your year. You had never done any guardian classes or training and you were graduating in less than a year but you had done training with the alchemists that helped. You are also very smart and now from what I see you are at the top of your class and from what I heard, about to get two Molinja marks before even graduating. You have proven me wrong and would be the perfect guardian for princess Vasilissa but now we have a problem. You are a princess. Dhampir or not you are the only one left in the Mazur family who can take the title. Ibrahim had his titles removed there is no way for him to have them back but the Moroi council wouldn't be able to take yours away. Not when you haven't done anything wrong and not if have me to help you which I will." She said. I felt like the weight of the world sat on my shoulders in that moment.

"Forgive me your majesty but I would like to know all my options," I said putting as much confidence into my words as I could.

"Well, we could keep this a secret. Hidden away only for you to know and you can be a guardian when you graduate. Maybe even Vasilissa's guardian," she said.

"Maybe?" I asked.

"Nothing is certain. She is the last of her family and she needs the best. If you don't pass the last part of your education there is a chance she could be given others. Bond or not," she said and smirked at the last part.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"I hear everything. The other option is you come out with the full backing of the queen her supporters and all the dhampirs who would love to see a Dhampir on the council. You still have family members, which will allow you to be on the council after your eighteenth birthday. You will stay at court with me have a vote and a voice that the dhampir people need for them. You will be safe with my protection and soon people will get used to it and more dhampirs could have a say," she said. She definitely knew what to say to make me interested.

"If it's alright with you, I would like to discuss my own terms," I said putting as much authority behind my voice as I could muster.

"Of course," she said and looked me in the eyes as I started.

"I will go to the academy as a normal dhampir and attend to any duties while I am there as a novice. This will be kept secret until after graduation but while I am at the academy I want to be treated as any other novice. No special treatment. I will go through field experience and the trials as any other novice would. No academy teacher will know. The only people who will know are the people here today."

"What would be the point?" she asked.

"I know this may be hard to believe. I have a royal opportunity in front of me but my whole life has been changed around too much for one year," I said loosing my mask and slipping back into the teenager I was comfortable with. "I don't want everything to be changed around and for everyone at school to treat me differently. I have gotten used to being a dhampir and I just want to finish high school as one. Also, this would probably be safer seeing as no one knows thee will be no threat against a normal dhampir," I suggested at the end.

"Of it would be safer to not go back at all. You could stay here in court. Your father may have had his titles taken away but I could pardon him and he could stay and be welcome."

"That is tempting your majesty but I am a teenager who has never had a teenage life until now and I plan to finish it," I said and forced a smile.

"Very well," she said. "Bring the others in," she ordered to a guardian standing by the door I hadn't noticed.

Dimitri and Abe walked back in and joined us at the table. Tatiana gave them orders to keep it secret until after graduation where I would be coming back here to announce it to the court and there would be a ball to welcome me. this all seemed a bit much to me but I let her continue as long as I got to be a novice for a little longer. There were specific instructions to keep my identity secret and to act the same to me as any other dhampir student. I would still train with Dimitri the same way as I always did and I would still participate in the field experience and the trials. She Pardoned Abe and allowed him back to court but he would still never get his titles back leaving me alone to carry the name.

That night we ate at one of the court's restaurants and then went back to our rooms. With all that had happened, I couldn't sleep even with the lack of hours I had gotten. I snuck out of my room down to the courtyard and sat on the ledge of the fountain running my fingers through the cold water. I had all my senses on focusing on the details of the ripples, the feel of the water, the sounds of the bird's wakeup calls, the smell of wet mud like it had just rained and the taste of chocolate still on my tongue from dessert. I was paying so much attention that I knew he was there before he took a step towards me. I turned around turning all my attention to him and smiled. He was the clearest thing I could see even focusing. His hair was loose today and blew around his face in the wind. He gave me a small smile and joined me on the ledge. You would think a person of his size wouldn't fit and fall off the ledge into the fountain but he didn't. Instead, he made it look like the ledge had been built for him to sit on.

"I think I have gotten to know you pretty well," he started.

"What would make you say that?" I asked deadpan.

"Well I can see when you are upset even when you try to hide it and I know you like to run away to be alone," he explained.

"You know me so well," I said sarcastically. I didn't want to be a bitch but with my mood, at the moment I couldn't help the words from escaping my mouth.

"I also know you love the sunlight so whenever you are upset you sneak away to watch it," he said. This took me by surprise. He really did know me. I missed the sun and always wanted to feel it's warmth on my skin. I could see it in his eyes that the reason he knew I loved the sun because he loved it just as much. "I have caught you sneaking out a few times now and I know wherever you have gone it's to watch the sun."

"I miss it," I stated.

"I know. So do I," he said softly and I looked at him. "Why are you upset?" he asked and I sighed.

"You know why."

"You regret making that decision? you can always go change your answer," he said but I jumped in before he could continue.

"No, that's not it. The truth is I am so sick of others telling me to live my life. Lissa telling me to let loose and have fun, people telling me to act my age and be a teenager while I can. Honestly, I have never been my age. At age five I knew I wanted to be an alchemist like my mother. I trained all my life and studied everything I could but I was never meant to be one, I know that now. Everyone is telling me to be a guardian but I can't even be that anymore. Now people are telling me to a princess but I have no idea how to do that," I gushed to him.

"You didn't know how to be a dhampir at first but it came to you like second nature because that is what you are and so will being a princess. You will be great because you will have help and because that is what you are. You are a princess and a dhampir princess at that," he said and put a hand on top of mine. It was risky but we weren't at school and everyone was asleep. It got me thinking. Could becoming a princess mean we could be together? I wouldn't be Lissa's guardian after all so there would be nothing to stop us except he would always be working. We could never have kids, which is what my family line needs. He looked at me with a questioning expression.

"You can always go to the queen and tell her no," he suggested but I shook my head.

"No," I stood up but held on to his hand. "I have accepted and I will be a princess not because I want to but because this is what dhampirs need. A royal on their side speaking for them and their rights and I plan on doing that. I will be the first dhampir princess and I will help the dhampir people have a voice," I said. Dimitri looked proud which brought a feeling of warmth to my chest and I continued. "Right after I finish high school."


	20. Chapter 20

There was a small funeral for Mason at the academy for his friends but it was just a stone on the grounds, not a coffin or headstone. His mother took his body and had a proper funeral with his family in his hometown. I heard his Moroi father even showed up to pay his respects. Mason had talked about his dad a lot. His father wasn't the typical Moroi man, ditching out on the dhampir woman and child. He wasn't there a lot but he showed up and sent cards to Mason. Mason had told me he had married a Moroi woman and had Moroi children after Mason was born but he still treated Mason as his real son.

The funeral at the school was small. A few words were said about Mason and what happened. Thankfully there was no mention of my name, just friend or friends. After that I went and got changed before making my way to afternoon practice with Dimitri. My mother had shown up to be with me after I had come back from court. I had told her what happened and as I suspected she didn't believe me so I put her and Abe together alone in a room to talk and explain things that would get her memory back. When she came out she had a confused and scared look on her face and I suspected it was the same look I would have had on my face after hearing the crazy story even though it is true. It had been a couple of days now and she still hadn't spoken to me. I assumed she was avoiding me.

Once at the gym I walked in to find Dimitri sitting on a bench with his legs crossed wearing his everyday black clothes with a thick book in his hands. He looked up when I walked in and put a bookmark on his page before placing the book beside him.

"What? No practice today?" I asked setting down my water bottle. He shook his head.

"No not today. Not for a while," he said.

"What? Why?" I blurted out quickly.

"Because you have just been through something very traumatic and you need time to heal," he said gently.

"No. I'm fine," I said as I had said to everyone who had talked to me the past week.

"Your not. You are doing very well recovering from what you were put through but you are not fine. I can see your hiding but it won't work with me. I know you." He was right I was hiding, but not for the reason he thought I was.

"You are right that I am hiding but you are wrong about why " I told him and he gave me a questioning look that told me to elaborate. I sighed. "I am fine with Mason now. I don't blame myself anymore. I have seen what that guilt is doing to people around me and I want to- I need to be strong," I told him.

"You are strong. You are so strong. Others your age who have been through all that you went through would be struggling a lot more. Tell me what is wrong," he urged and I could hear a hint of pleading in his tone.

"I just didn't think this is what it would feel like. Killing strigoi. I couldn't wait to get out there and rid the world of the evil I had been training to kill but it was different and not in a good way."

"Killing, even strigoi, isn't easy. They were people once too and they look and talk like people. You just have to tell yourself that the person inside them died before you killed them. You killed monsters, not people," he said and cupped my cheeks so I was staring directly into his beautiful brown eyes. I nodded.

"So what now?" I asked still in his hold.

"Now, you get your marks," he said simply still not letting me go.

"I don't think there is much point to that. I'm not going to be a guardian so why bother?"

"These marks are more than a way to show for the kill. Remember what we talked about that day. About your tattoo and Tasha's scars," I jerked out of his hold at the mention of Tasha remembering that he was with someone else now and I wasn't allowed to enjoy his touch on my skin of the way it still burned once he let go.

"I know but it just feels pointless like they are just there for decoration. Like I will have no proper use for them."

"But you will. As a royal, both races will look you at. Your kills show that you are strong even as a royal and also makes the Moroi royals look weak so maybe they might want to fight so others don't look to you all the time. They also give you respect amongst the dhampirs. A royal dhampir is big because people have wanted one for centuries. But a royal dhampir who had been kidnapped and killed the strigoi give hope that maybe one day we will be able to fight for each other and put our lives at risk for our friends and family instead of the Moroi," he said. His speech made me feel strong but also nervous at the pressure that would be on me as the first royal Dhampir. I didn't want guardians. I was quite capable of protecting myself.

"Well, I will need the training to do those things you expect of me," I joked.

"You will. Tomorrow." I nodded.

"And can you tell my new instructor before you leave not to treat me like a fragile china doll. I want to reach my full badass potential. Okay, I will see you ate the ceremony in half an hour," I said and raced out the door before he could say anything more. I didn't want to hear any stories about him and Tasha. The thought was painful enough.

I quickly jumped in the shower even though I wasn't sweaty I felt dirty and got changed into the most casual formal outfit I had, which consisted of a maroon button up shirt and black slacks. I put my hair in a neat ponytail so the tattooist could do his work easily. I wasn't scared, I had been tattooed before and it hurt but the magic in the tattoo would have hurt except it hadn't with me. My own Moroi blood would heal it quicker for me anyway.

With just a little makeup to hide the dark circles, I had from sleepless nights. It was hard to sleep now. Even when I eventually drifted off I had a nightmare that would make me toss and turn in the night until I woke up and then I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. The only reason I was getting even an hour sleep was because I was exhausted from the sleepless night before. I knew I couldn't keep this up forever. Eventually, I would need to get some sleeping pills or something that could help but that could wait until after the ceremony. I still had a few minutes so I put on my shoes and looked into Lissa's head just to check on her. She was walking down the corridor to go see Christian at their special spot in the church attic when a voice stopped her.

"Hello, cousin." She flicked her head around and saw Adrian standing next to the doorway wearing casual black jeans and a white button-down shirt that made his outfit look more formal than it was. She was as surprised as I was to see him.

"What are you doing here?" Lissa asked him.

"My aunt sent me. She got wind of you not taking those pills anymore that block your magic and she sent me here so we can teach each other how to use spirit and teach each other some skills and maybe even learn some new ones," he told her but I didn't focus on anything other than the pills part. Had she stopped taking them?

"I haven't stopped taking them. I just asked the doctor what would happen if I did. And how do the queen hear that?" Lissa asked.

"My aunt has a lot of friends who tell her anything of importance. This is important," he told her.

"You can't say anything to anyone," Lissa pleaded. "I haven't told anyone not even Rose." If only she knew.

"I won't. Speaking of your little guardian, do you know where she is?" asked Adrian.

"Probably at training with Dimitri. She spends all her free time there," she told him.

"That training sounds fun," he muttered under his breath but Lissa heard him and so did I. she didn't get the double meaning in his words but I did, clear as day. He knew something about Dimitri and me.

"I should go," said Lissa bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Of course I wouldn't want to keep your man waiting," he said. she wanted to know who he knew that but shook it off and ran off to the church. I pulled out of her head as she opened the door bringing myself back. it was almost time for the ceremony so I would have to leave but later I would have to find Adrian and confront him about what he knows.

I ran out of my room and down the corridor. This was something I couldn't be late for. When I got into the room the first person I spotted was Dimitri as always but he was surrounded by heaps of people. They were all the school guardians and they had all come to watch. I felt happy that they were all here to show support but it also made me nervous. I walked down the pathway that the guardians had made, giving small nods to each one side to thank them. I spotted my mother and Abe on the left and gave them a small smile as they stood side by side. My mother may have been ignoring me but she would be here for this and she would always help me. I would need to meet them again and get to know them like a proper family would but for now, all I needed was their support. When I walked up to the front where Dimitri stood he smiled with a look of pride in his eyes. Our eyes were locked and I gave a small nod as I had to everyone else but this one had a different message than thank you. The look he gave me passed so many messages but the one I gave, said only one thing: Stay and guide me through this. I walked up the three stares to where Alberta stood with the tattooist, another school guardian beside her. I sat in the chair and put my face on the cushion before me with my bare neck bare and exposed.

"She won't get her promise mark," said the tattooist. "She hasn't graduated."

"That's alright. Just give her the marks. She earned them," Alberta instructed. The sound of the needle echoed off the walls as he turned it on and he got to work. If felt like minutes of sitting in the chair staring at my hands as the fiddled in my lap and thought about what happened for me to get these. In reality, it could have been an hour. The guardians were silent and stood the whole time to show respect but they were also used to it from doing it in every class or guardian a Moroi. When it was finished the tattooist taped a bandage to the back of my neck and gave me simple instructions on how to treat it until it healed. When I stood up I faced the guardians and for the first time, I could see them all smiling even though it were small. There were no guardian masks on their faces no hiding emotions and the look they gave me told me what they were thinking: Now your one of us. After that food was brought out. Guardians came up to me giving me hugs or saying congratulations. Dimitri came up to me but he didn't hug me or congratulate me. Instead, he did the one thing that I actually wanted.

"You did well." To me, this wasn't a celebration as much as a second funeral for my innocence. This was something I did and that still haunted me. it was hard to feel happy or proud of what I did because in truth I still felt guilty and a small part of me would always blame me for what happened. I can't forget, I can only learn how to cope with it.

One by one the guardians left. They had other duties to attend to. Eventually, I found myself sitting alone staring at the slice of untouched cake on my plate. I didn't want to move but when someone touched my shoulder I jumped around and brought up my arms ready to attack. I relaxed when I saw my mother. She took a seat next to me and I faced her. It was time we talked.

"Do you believe it?" I asked not needing to specify what it was.

"It's not easy to believe but memories have started coming back and things are looking clearer so yes I believe it," she said. I dug my hand into the pocket of my slacks and brought out the Nazar she gave me for Christmas.

"I researched this for a while and nothing really significant came up it looks like a necklace used for protection but its more than that. It wasn't until Abe told me that I realised. This is more than just a necklace. This symbol is the Mazur family symbol. The Nazar is an eye to keep away the evil eye and the Mazur family symbol is the good eye. That's why they look so similar," I explained. She didn't say anything. She just stared at the Nazar in my hand before she took it out and studied it intently. Her eyes squinted as she looked at it.

"I remember something," she said. "Something from before. The day your father gave this to me. The day we got married." I smiled when she said that. "he gave this to me and told me that no matter what anyone says we were married. I was his wife his family. I was a Mazur."

"What else can you remember?" I asked her.

"Some images have been popping up, but my memories are still cloudy. Like trying to look through a fogged window. This is the first real memory," she said and handed me back the Nazar.

"More memories will come. You just need to spend some more time with Abe. Maybe he has things that you can look at that will help," I suggested. She nodded.

"I will," she said. "You did good. I'm proud of you and what you did in Spokane. And I'm proud of you today. You were so strong and so mature beyond your years. You didn't even flinch with the tattoos," she said.

"I have had it done before," I said and brushed some loose pieces hair from my cheek to expose my tattoo.

"Oh, of course."

"Yeah it wasn't too bad," I said and pulled my hair back to where it was before.

"I know I missed most of your life, and I don't remember the parts that I was there for, but I promise to be with you for the rest of it and help you through it all," she told me as she held my hands in hers. I could see she was telling the truth but shook my head.

"No mom, you are a guardian. You have a Moroi to look after. You won't always be able to be by my side you have your duty and this is mine," I told her but she only smiled wider.

"No. my duty is to be with my family. I resigned from my charge and I am staying with you."

"What?" I gasped out.

"You are my daughter and the most important thing in my life. I refuse to let you go again. I will be by your side always. And besides I will need to be with Abe so I can regain my memories but we will take it one day at a time," she said and with one hand she cupped my cheek and gave a genuine smile, which I returned.

"One day at a time."


	21. Chapter 21

I met with Lissa after the ceremony. The bond told me she had left the church and was now in the library. When I walked in she looked up and smiled.

"Hey. There's my ferocious guardian," she said closing her book and standing up to meet me for a hug. I wanted to correct her and felt guilty that I didn't but I couldn't. She couldn't know because is she knew, Christian would know, then Eddie would know and Eddie can't keep secrets.

"Hey," I said quietly.

"What's wrong? Was it painful?" she asked sensing my mood almost as if the bond was both ways.

"No it was fine. It's just been a sad day." Technically not a lie. It was a sad day for many reasons but I didn't want to go into detail.

"Come on. Let's go to dinner," she said changing the conversation. We walked out of the library with her books and equipment in her bag. It was a comfortable silence but it didn't last long.

"Adrian's here," she said and I stayed silent. "He was asking for you."

"I know," I told her. "I _saw."_ Her eyes widened.

"'Saw?' as in…" she started.

"Yep." She looked down understanding that I was there for the talk she had kept hidden from me. "Why didn't you tell me you were thinking about stopping your pills?" I asked.

"Because I know you would freak out," she said.

"I won't freak out," I told her calmly. "Tell me,"

"I'm better now. I'm not angry or depressed and all I want is to use my magic. To get that amazing feeling back but I can't because of these pills." She explained.

"Look," I started. "I don't like the idea of you using the magic that hurt you in the past but I can feel how much you miss it and I understand. You can stop if you want and I will help you but if anything happens like last time, you have to promise you will use them again," I told her.

"I know. I will I promise. The doctor said I could stop tomorrow but it will take a while for it to leave my system so I will still have to wait a while before I can use my magic again," she told me.

"Okay just stay safe," I told her.

"Rose, you really will be the best guardian ever," she told me and I smiled even though her words pained me by reminding me of the truth.

"I hope so," I said. We pushed opened the doors and instantly spotted our little group at our usual table. Eddie still had a haunted look tattooed on his face but I could see he was done moping. Christian smiled as Lissa slipped in beside him and I joined Eddie across from them. I looked around noting our missing member.

"Where's Mia?" I asked. Christian's smiled dropped.

"She's gone," he said.

"What? Where?" I asked.

"Her dad is taking her to stay with him at court. She's not coming back. After what happened to her mother her dad want's Mia to stay with him." I understood that much but was still a little upset. We all went through the same thing. Of course, Mia lost her mother and that was heartbreaking but we would all need each other to get over what happened to us. We had just started to become friends and now she is gone.

"When did she leave?" I asked.

"A couple hours ago," said Eddie. "She wanted to tell you but didn't want to mess with your big day." I understood but was still disappointed that I didn't get to say goodbye.

"Have you guys seen Adrian?" I asked changing the subject.

"Yeah," said Christian. "I saw him outside when we were coming in. do you know why he's here?" Christian asked.

"No but I'm going to find out," I said and I stood up.

"How did you know he was here?" asked Eddie. I looked to Lissa for a brief second.

"Someone told me he was here looking for me," I told them, It wasn't a lie, someone _had_ told me, I just didn't mention Lissa. I knew Christian got jealous easily and I didn't want to start something.

"I'm going to go see him," I announced and walked out. There would still be plenty of time for dinner and I was still full from the ceremony cake. When I opened the door a cloud of clove cigarette smoke devoured me. I coughed and waved my hands furiously in front of my face to clear the smoke away.

"Do you mind?" I asked rhetorically.

"Not at all," he answered and ignored my glare.

"I was told you were looking for me," I told him and moved to stand next to where he was leaving on the buildings brick wall.

"That would be correct," he said but didn't elaborate.

"What do you want?" I asked getting annoyed at his smug smirk.

"To talk," he said and took another puff of his cigarette.

"Okay then. Talk."

"You have been keeping secrets," he said after a couple moments of silence. I froze and he smirked smugly at my reaction.

"What are you talking about?" I tried to cover it up but it didn't work.

"Don't try to deny it little Dhampir, or should I say, little princess. I know everything." I didn't deny it after that. He knew and there was no changing that.

"How did you find out?" I asked.

"My aunt," he said simply. My face must have shown my anger because Adrian burst out laughing. "Don't be angry, Rose. She has kept your secret."

"No, she hasn't. No one was supposed to know and she told you," I argued.

"With good reason," he retorted. "She told me because she wanted to send me here to look after you," she explained.

"So she told you so you can be my babysitter. _You._ Honestly, I think you're the one who needs the babysitter," I exclaimed muttering the last sentence.

"It's more than that. I was going to come back so I could work with Lissa on Spirit and she saw it as a good opportunity as we already know each other and I would spend time with you. Besides, isn't it better it's me and not a stranger?" he said. He had a point. I sighed deeply.

"Alright. I understand, but I'm not happy with it," I told him.

"Sorry, little princess. I'm here to stay."

"Well if you are going to stay you have to stop with the 'Little Princess' thing and you have to swear you will keep this secret," I told him.

"All right little Dhampir," he said with an eye roll. "And of course I will keep it secret."

"No offense, but I don't know if I can trust your promises when you get drunk every night."

"None-taken. Don't worry. I can keep a secret. Even when I'm drunk." I was a little skeptical but there was nothing I could do.

"Okay then," I said simply. He dropped his cigarette onto the grass and stomped on it to put it out. I turned away in annoyance about to go back to the others when he stopped me.

"You know little Dhampir, now that you're a royal we actually have a chance," he said. I scoffed.

"Keep dreaming," I said but didn't face him.

"I do. Every night. One dream I remember specifically. On the beach with you wearing a white sundress." My eyes widened and I snapped back around to face him.  
"What did you say?"

"Just a dream I had recently. We were on the beach and you were in a nice white sundress that showed off your amazing figure." I ignored his last comment but couldn't stop my racing mind as it retraced the dream I had in the Strigoi home. It felt so real that I thought we were free but Adrian asked where we were and I realized we were still trapped. Still, the dream he was talking about was the exact dream I had.

"Did we have the same dream? How is that possible?" I asked.

"Because I made it," he answered but that confused me more.

"Made it?"

"It's my dream." He said and I waited for him to elaborate. "Lissa told me her strongest talent with spirit was healing. Well, this is one of mine. I call it dream walking."

"So you walked into my dream?"

"No. I pulled you into my mind while you were asleep to find out where you were," he explained.

"So that was real?"

"Real in my mind. I created everything down to what you were wearing. I made it feel real but you were still in that house." All the pieces suddenly clicked together.

"That's how the guardians got to us. You told them," I said more to myself than him. "Why didn't you do it sooner? We could have gotten out quicker and maybe Mason would still be here."

"It's not that simple. You have to be asleep and every time I tried you were probably awake. But it is also hard on me. I have to be nearly completely sober to do it," he explained.

"So you would rather sit on your ass with a bottle on one hand and a cigarette in the other than help," I accused. I was starting to get mad. I may have stopped playing the blame game with myself and the others there with me but that didn't mean I didn't blame others and right now Adrian had all the fingers pointing to him.

"No. I sobered myself up the moment we found out you guys had left. I tried over and over but I couldn't get through until I found a spot where I could pull you through. And no matter what you may think, I'm not that bad. You have seen the effects of spirit on Lissa. It made her angry. Turned her into someone she isn't?" I nodded. "That's the darkness. Every time we use our gift a small bit of darkness comes from it and each time we use it that darkness builds until it explodes and completely changes a person no matter who they are. Lissa is using the pills to help but she can't use the magic. I can't bear to be without the magic so I don't take the pills. Instead, I drink and smoke and party to numb my magic," he explained.

"Self-medicating," I finished and he nodded.

"It keeps the darkness at bay."

"Maybe for now but as you said it just builds and builds and alcohol and drugs are not the healthiest way to cure it."

"Maybe not but it works," he said.

"It won't forever," I told him.

"I know and that is why I am here to work with Lissa on spirit and find ways to keep the darkness away while learning some new abilities," he said.

"What new abilities?" I asked.

"Spirit users have more abilities than we know but I believe Lissa and I can teach each other our abilities to see if we can learn new things and then we can develop more from there."

"What else can you do?" I asked.

"I can see auras,"

"Auras?"

"Auras are like coulours. They surround every person and can show how they are feeling. It's also how I found out Lissa was a Spirit user as well," he explained.

"What do you mean?"

"When I looked at Lissa's Aura, it was gold. I had seen all colors and shades. A few silvers every once and a while but her aura was one that I had only seen a couple of times and was the same as mine. That's when I knew she was like me." I took a couple of seconds to process this. We had been researching other spirit users and had only found Miss Karp and St. Vladimir as spirit users. I guess Lissa would want to find others like her. We now had Adrian, who had amazing abilities he could teach Lissa to do but there were others out there who could have even more abilities that could do so much. Adrian said he could see Lissa was a spirit user through her golden aura but he also said he spotted others with the same aura. We could now spot spirit users and we could bring them all together and bring the long-lost element back to its former glory.

"So you have seen other spirit users?" I asked impatiently.

"Yeah, a couple."

"Why haven't you tried to work with them on it?" I asked getting frustrated at his lack of interest.

"I did. They didn't listen."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, going up to a stranger and telling them they have a special forgotten element with amazing abilities that allow them to read auras and dream walk, kind of gives off a kind of crazy vibe and instead of them wanting to work with you they end up running away." He had a point there. If I didn't know about spirit and all it could do, I would think he was crazy as well.

"I see your point," I told him and folded my arms across my chest and turned my head to avoid making eye contact.

"So Lissa is the first other spirit user I have met who knows what she is and what she can do and wants to learn. Sorry to break it to you little Dhampir but I'm staying for a while." He said and walked away. I didn't stop him. instead, I turned around and walked back into the hall, grabbed a tray of food and sat down with my friends.

"So what did Adrian want?" asked Lissa.

"He just said he was here to work on spirit and then made a bunch of sexual jokes," I told them putting on my best face and steady voice.

"Sounds like Adrian," said Lissa

"Yeah," I agreed. I hated lying but I would have to if I wanted to make it to graduation.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning I got up nice and early to get ready for my first session back with Dimitri and probably my last. Christian had said last night that his aunt, Tasha, would be leaving tonight and as Dimitri is her new guardian, he will have to go with her and leave me. I wasn't mad, after all, I had told him to go. It was the right thing to do. We couldn't be together even if I wasn't going to be Lissa's guardian he would be if he stayed and if we were together and something went wrong he would protect me not Lissa and that cannot happen.

With Tasha, he had a chance to have a happy life. He would be with her, away from me and my messy world. He could have a family with Tasha, which is something that most Dhampirs never get and what I could never give him.

I ran down the hall to the bathroom dressed in my workout clothes. I flicked on the lights and threw my head down and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I smoothed out the bumps and tied my hair elastic around my thick hair until it felt tight enough that it wouldn't fall out. I was just about to leave when something white caught my eye. I moved back to the mirror and reached around my neck and felt the fabric of the bandage that covered my new tattoos. I hesitated before I ripped it off quickly with eyes shut. After a few seconds, I slowly opened my eyes and turned so I could see in the mirror. I could only see one but that didn't matter. It was beautiful. The tiny lightning bolt x marks on my neck looked amazing. I examined them for a while longer and couldn't help but think about how perfect they looked there almost like they belonged there. Seeing the marks made me feel like a true dhampir but it also came with a lot of memories and reminders. I threw those images out of my mind and moved away from the mirror. With a quick look at the time, I swore and bolted out the door. I was late. Again. I sprinted to the gym and when I got there I saw Dimitri had already set everything up as usual. I panted and he turned around to see me.

"Late again?" he started. "Maybe you should get a better alarm clock."

"That would be a good idea but I would probably smash that one as well," I joked and he gave a small smile. "So laps?" I asked.

"No, no laps today. Put your gloves on and come over to the mat," he instructed. I nodded and grabbed the gloves he had given me a while ago. On the mat, he waited and I joined him. He handed me a blunt wooden stick and got into a fighting stance. I didn't move.

"What's this?" I asked.

"A practice stake," he said.

"I know that. Why? We were working with real stakes last time."

"Well, one because I don't want to be staked. And two because the next thing you will go through is the field experience and in that, you will be protecting a Moroi student at this school for six weeks against guardians who will act as strigoi and could attack at any moment and all you will have is this," he explained. I had heard of field experience with the alchemists but had never really known how it worked.

"So I have to fight you?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes. You have done it before."

"Yeah but I always lose," I complained.

"True but you are good. There have been times where I have almost lost but found a way through and won."

"You're just saying that."

"No its true Roza. Remember your training from the past year. Remember your fast because you are small and light and you will be unbeatable. And remember not all the guardians are me. It should be easy for you. Just remember to go on offense because of your speed. You won't win on weight against a man but if you can strike first you will be fine," he said and I nodded recalling all that he had taught me.

I took the stake and squatted down into the same stance as he was and we fought. I did as he said using my speed, lashing out and striking at him but he blocked most of them. I was on offense but was getting nowhere. Suddenly with a kick to the back of his knees, I brought him down but that didn't stop him. Instead, he took me down with him. We struggled, rolling around on the mat. Each getting close to winning before the other would find a way out. Eventually, I made it on top holding him down about to bring my stake down but when I looked into his beautiful chocolate eyes I couldn't. I slacked and he flipped me over and pinned me. my stake fell out of my hand and sat a few centimeters away. I could grab it but not without Dimitri noticing.

"What have I said about hesitating?" I asked and sounded mad. "You cant do that in your field experience, your trials or real life. If you hesitate than both you and your Moroi are dead," he said. While he was distracted I moved my hand until I found my stake and got a good hold on it. "You can't think of me as Dimitri, your mentor. You have to think of me as Dimitri, your enemy," now was my chance. He continued to talk but I didn't give him a chance before I flipped us over and before he could do anything I brought my stake down on his heart. Dead. He stopped moving and I collapsed on his chest panting. I had done it. I had actually beaten Dimitri. It was the first time ever and I couldn't be happier. I couldn't help it as I started laughing quietly but it wouldn't stop. My laughter got louder and louder until my stomach hurt and I had tears in my eyes.

"What is so funny?" he asked. I sobered myself up and sat up to meet his face while still on top of him.

"It's just," I started and had to resist the giggles threatening to burst out again. "For all the talks about focus and control because it could get me killed. You were the one who lost control and you got yourself killed by me. It's just reversed rolls from where we were a few months ago," I explained and he smiled.

"You have come a long way, Roza. I always knew you would be the best," he said and he sat up with me still on his lap. I suddenly became very aware of the position we were in. the look in his eyes held so much pride and happiness and something else and I couldn't look away. It would seem I still needed to work on my urges because I couldn't stop myself as I lent in and kissed him. He was tense at first but relaxed. His hand went around behind me and pulled my hair free from its elastics. My hair fell like a dark wavy waterfall down my back and he dug his hand into it pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. Slowly we lowered down until he was laying and I was on top with my hands pressed to his chest feeling the strong muscle through his shirt. His other hand found my hips and pulled up my shirt. I moaned loudly at his touch on my bare skin. It was like we were fighting again but was different. I moved my hands down to his abdomen and traced the outline of his toned muscles from years of training. As my hands went down he groaned deeply into my mouth and in that instant, it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. My eyes shot open and I jumped off him. I walked back until my back met the wall and there was nowhere else I could go. I was panting as I wrapped my arms around myself and felt ashamed. I had kissed him. He was with Tasha and I kissed him. He was a taken man and I kissed him. How could I do that? God, he basically cheated on her with me and it was all my fault. I turned away and pulled off my gloves ready to leave.

"I'm sorry," I started not facing him. "I shouldn't have done that. You are with Tasha and that was wrong of me."

"Roza," he started and I could hear him walking towards me. I tensed.

"No. Please, Dimitri, I don't want to be the one who ruins that chance for you. You deserve to be happy and I need to accept that and move on and not kiss you whenever I want to," I said and continued to pack up.

"Roza please listen," he begged but I ignored him.

"Don't worry. You don't have to tell her. This can stay a secret and you will go and we will never have to see each other again," I said and started for the door.

"Roza stop!" he shouted. I froze. "Listen to me for one minute." I didn't move.

"Roza. What you said that night about me taking Tasha's offer was very mature and very hard. You were right she could give me everything I want. A family, a place far away from the court," he said and I sighed.

"Dimitri, I can't hear this," he ignored me.

"But she can give me the thing I want most," he started and I turned my head to look at him with tears in my eyes. "You.

"

"I know, Dimitri. But you will be better off with her. Happy with her and in time you will love her and forget about me," I told him and headed for the door again.

"You are probably right but that doesn't matter because I said no," he said and I froze again.

"What?" I asked.

"Tasha's offer. I told her no," he said. I turned to face him.

"Why would you do that? You could have been happy and had an amazing life. Can't you go tell her yes? It's not too late she is leaving later."

"I know but it doesn't matter because I have made my decision. I don't want to be happy if I'm not with you," he said. I dropped everything.

"But. We can't. Lissa and princes' stuff," I wasn't making any sense and I knew it but my brain was too shocked.

"We will find a way," he said and came over to me. "We just have to keep this secret until after you have finished and been announced as a princess. Otherwise, this could ruin your reputation," he told me. I dropped all my shock and smiled.

"I can keep a secret," I told him and smirked. "And secret doesn't mean to stop," I hinted and his eyes flickered with understanding as he came over and pinned me against the brick wall hard. I gasped in surprise but didn't get the chance to do anything before his lips were on mine again. I moaned as his hand wove its way through my hair again. With one hand he lifted my leg and wrapped it around his waist and put his hand on the curve of my back bringing me closer. The air was getting thick with want and I didn't want to stop but eventually, I had to break it.

"We can't," I whispered through pants.

"You're right," he said but we didn't move for a while.

"We have to take this slow," I said and he nodded. Eventually, he let me go and I slid off with one final kiss. I smiled as I grabbed my bag but turned around before I left

.

"Wait does this mean your still my mentor?" I asked.

"Well someone needs to keep you inline and you still have a long way to go," he answered.

"Coming from a guy who just got his ass beat," I joked and he laughed.

"You got lucky."

"We'll see Comrade. Maybe we will have to have a rematch next lesson," I said and winked.

"Can't wait." And with that I smiled, grabbed my stuff and walked out to get ready for the day. I had a feeling it was going to be a great day.


	23. Authors note

Hi everyone, sorry for not being very active recently but sadly my laptop has stopped working. I am very disappointed as I had lots of stories in process and now I will have to start over. I hope everyone liked this story. I know it was very close to frostbite but I wanted to keep it close to the series showing how this Rose would act with the other circumstances. I have lots of ideas for the triquel but I want to hear from you if you think it is a good idea. If you do just tell me or sent me a PM if you have any ideas because while I do have a lot, I would love to include some new twists so just let me know. Thanks guys and I promise when my laptop is working again, I'll be writing nonstop. Thanks for all your support it means so much to me xxxx


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